The Prince Of Darkness and Hate
by FLAMMING Guitar 98
Summary: A prophecy made by his dying mother at birth predicted that the young boy would die young, because of the one he loved. Never let him love, she cried, and so the father brought him up to be cold and cruel. Yet can humans defy fate? DracoOC Lilly
1. The Prophecy

DISCLAMIER- I don't own Harry Potter (if I did Draco would be in love with a character based on me lol) the only thing that I own is Lilly Grawp.

Prince Of Darkness

Chapter 1- The Prediction

His was the smile that took all light out of the air and gave nothing back. His eyebrows were fair and his hair blond; he hated it. It seemed so playboy-ish. Such a mainstream definition of good-looking were his features, they didn't suit his attitude; his whole demeanor rebelled against them. He walked aloft and proud from the children and Hogwarts, allowing only two cronies to walk with him. They believed that they and he were friends- he knew better. The thick males that he allowed to accompany him were dumb muscle and nothing else- but let them have their stupid ideas if they keep it to themselves.

The only thing that gave the impression of evil were his eyes. Slate gray ones that ate up light and joy, there were few that dared to meet his cold stare. Among them was only one that he respected- indeed, this one was the only man in the world that commanded his respect. And he feared no-one; yet not nothing. Death called to him and he was deadly afraid of it- it attracted him and he longed for it but he knew that he was fated to die young and he resented that. "No cheap fortune-teller will command my destiny," he often hissed.

At his birth, his mother had lain tired and panting, a deathly weariness coming over her as she held her eerily silent son in pale shaking arms. She was a seer, though he would never admit it, and her last ever prediction was for her young son. As she gazed into his gray eyes, her breathing quickened and as her husband watched, her eyes rolled back into her head.

"He will be the Achilles," she said in a low, hoarse voice. "He will die young and be forgotten by all but one. None shall mourn but one. He will do great things and die for the one he loves." Her breathing got fast and shallow. "Lucius!" she cried. "He must not die! For to die he must first love… never let him love."

Closing her eyelids, she quickly opened them and was herself again. A new glass ball appeared in the Department of Mysteries, and the man stared at her in horror. She obviously had no memory of the prediction except for one residual thought. "Call him Achilles, Lucius," she whispered.

Her breathing got faster and faster, and suddenly the baby began to wail. "Achilles!" screeched the woman, eyes wild and mad. Then she screamed. A long scream that went for only a minute (but with no breath in between) yet seemed to go for hours. When it stopped, so to did the new mothers heart. She died, Lucius told the doctors, from childbirth but he lied. She had died from the strain of the prediction.

He married only a year after, to a woman with long black hair and dark eyes. Narcissa Black was a good choice for a replacement mother, and the child of the dead woman never guessed she was not his true mother. But Lucius Malfoy never forgot- the woman's last scream echoed forever in his head along with her last words.

_Call him Achilles…_

Lucius Malfoy did not call his son Achilles. He was determined that this child would be one of darkness- bringer of fear, not hope.

He called him Draco Malfoy.


	2. The Long Way There

DISCLAMIER- I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters J.K. Rowling does I just own Lilly Grawp.

Chapter 2- The Long Way There

She combed her brown hair in excitement, pulling on her shabby jeans and black tank top in a hurry. She wandered around the room idly putting things in their places for no apparent reason. It was September 1st, and Lilly Grawp was preparing to leave for King's Cross Station. She couldn't wait for the time when she, too, was allowed to use magic at home. 

Arriving at King's Cross, Lilly caught sight of brown hair, and hurried towards it. She grinned up at Hermione Granger, who seemed to have finally had her growth spurt over the holidays and towered half a head taller then most of the seventh years. "How are you, 'Mione?" she asked.

Hermione smiled back at her. "You ask that when you only saw me last weekend? Ever since you've been seeing that friend of mine, I hardly get time to miss you before seeing you again!" Harry had been staying with Hermione over the summer along with Ron.

Lilly turned pink, and opened her mouth to make some witty reply when a long arm went around her shoulders. "Hello sweetheart," a deep voice drawled. Smiling up at Harry, she wrapped an arm around his waist. Lilly's boyfriend's voice had finally broken, and it was now as deep as Ron's had been for some years.

"Hi," she said quietly, turning her mouth up for the kiss that Harry neatly planted on her lips.

"For goodness sake, can a guy say hello to his mate without him pashing some common girl?" laughed another voice, and Ron walked up to the group, draping arms around both of their shoulders, sticking his head in between them and making kissing noises.

Lilly pulled apart from Harry and smiled up at Ron. "How are you Lilly?" He grinned.

"Alright," she sighed. "Holidays were boring. I hung out by myself when I wasn't with you guys."

Hermione laughed. "Poor Lilly- spending ten minutes by yourself! How did you cope?"

Lilly giggled, and gave Hermione an affable push. "Shuddup," she growled, mock-angrily.

Although they were not aware of it, the group of friends were being watched. As they had talked, they had walked through the barrier and onto the Hogwarts Express. Not yet bothering to go through the tedious business of finding a compartment, they had stood in the narrow pathway chatting. Tucked away in a small compartment with the door open, Draco Malfoy glared at the group with gray eyes, wondering what possessed Gryffindor's to throw back and forth this frivolous banter with no seeming intention of stopping it. Hermione however, peered into the compartment and Draco (not wanting it to be known that he was eavesdropping) pushed himself back into a shadowy corner, feeling the leather pattern of the seats imprint itself in his skin.

"This one's empty!" Hermione announced, leading the way into the compartment. The group followed her and were about to sit down when a voice hissed from the corner where Draco had remained hidden.

"Not quite. Do all mudbloods suffer from blindness or is it just you?"

Ron, spying Draco in the shadows whipped out his slightly crooked wand and pointed it straight at the Slytherin. "Take that back, Malfoy," he snapped.

Draco smiled slyly. "Let me think about that… Ah, no."

Harry grabbed Ron by the back of the collar and pulled him back to the sitting position. "Forget about him, Ron. Can't you see that he's still the same evil loser that he always was?"

Draco's smile widened. "At least I'm not poor," he said silkily.

Ron turned bright red, but he was not the one who answered. Lilly had pulled out her wand too. "How dare you!" she yelled.

"Temper, temper," Draco tutted.

Hermione stood up hastily. "Don't worry about him Ron, Lilly," she said anxiously. "Let's just go to another compartment." She was about to lead the group out of the room when a guard saw her about to leave.

"All other carriages are full, Miss," he said in a strong cockney accent. "I'm afraid you'll have to stay in here."

"WHAT?" yelled all Gryffindor's simultaneously.

The guard shrugged. "Nothing I can do about it. Good day." He tipped his hat and walked out, shutting the door behind him.

"Oh God," muttered Harry. Draco smirked at him, and Harry shot Draco an icy glare. Draco smiled cruelly, it had been an awful holiday for him and he decided to vent his anger on these children.

**_Flashback_**

"Draco, get me a cloth. My head is sore," Narcissa moaned from the couch. Draco stood up, angrily.

"Mother, you've been sore all holidays. I'm not a house elf! Get Eeny to do it!" Eeny, their replacement house elf since Dobby had been freed cowered in a corner.

Lucius Malfoy stood up. "Don't you dare speak to your mother like that, boy!"

"I'll speak to her however I bloody want!" Draco yelled.

"NO YOU WILL NOT!" thundered Lucius, standing up and advancing towards Draco, wand at the ready.

Draco's lip curled. "You're pathetic," he sneered. "Only managed to escape from Azkaban because you paid them five sacks of gold! Look at you… you're not worth the dirt you walk on!" He knew that he was deliberately provoking his father, but he was sick of being treated like a misfit.

"You dare to speak to me like that," growled Lucius. "You will pay for it! _Laedo vulnero_!" A jet of purple light shot towards Draco, who was too startled to react quickly enough. The spell caught him in the chest, and he was thrown back to the wall, slamming his head against it and cutting his jaw.

"Expelliarmus!" yelled Lucius, and Draco's arm was caught neatly and slammed against the wall. There was a sickening crunching noise, and his wrist snapped, leaving the hand dangling at a strange angle. Draco moaned softly in pain, face white.

"Get you're mother a cloth," Lucius said in a soft, dangerous voice. Staggering to his feet, blood trickling from his mouth, Draco managed to walk from the room. There, Eeny waited for him.

"Stupid master," the house elf scolded, using long tapered fingers to gently clean the boy up and heal his arm. "Should have done what the mistress wanted first time! Eeny has warned master several times, but master never listens to Eeny, oh no. Now master hurt again!" Although the house elf seemed annoyed, concern filled his big black eyes. "Master must be careful," he said quietly. "Eeny knows that Mister Lucius is very angry now, nobody trust him in ministry. You make him angry too. Soon, Mister Lucius hurt you really bad! Then what will Eeny do?"

Draco stared at the house elf with cold eyes, flexing his now healed wrist. "Maybe do some work for once," he hissed, before going off to find his mothers cloth.

**_End Flashback_**


	3. The Long Way There 2

Chapter 3- The Long Way There (2)

Hermione bit her lip nervously, wondering what to do in this awkward situation. "So Lilly," she said finally. "What did you do all holidays?."

"Hasn't a new pub started up there?" Harry asked, getting Hermione's idea. They must ignore Draco, and speak as if they hadn't noticed Draco.

"How could you be so rude?" Harry was startled for a minute, then realised that again Draco was speaking. "You know Lilly can only afford to eat what people leave in gutters!"

They ignored his comment once again, and thus the conversation continued in this awkward, stilted manner with Draco interrupting with rude remarks whenever he could. Soon both the girls were almost in tears, and Harry and Ron were filled with rage.

Finally, Ron couldn't take it any more. "It'll take more than your little barbs to make me mad!" he hissed.

Draco stood up, and pulled out a jet black wand. "Oh yes? Maybe my wand will then."

Lilly stood up as well, holding out her wand. "I'll handle this, guys," she murmured. "I've been longing to practice the new curse I learnt."

Draco smirked. "Ooh, tangling with the son of a Death Eater are we? Not a wise choice. I've been-" He snickered. "_Dying_, if you will, to practice the killing curse."

Lilly widened her eyes. "You wouldn't dare. People go to Azkaban for less than that."

Draco's expression suddenly turned from mocking to deadly serious. A weariness that a seventeen year old should not know lined every aspect of his face, and his eyes hid in their cold masses a secret sorrow. "Do I look like I care, Grawp?" It wasn't a rude, sarcastic comment- it was a question, and one that Lilly dared not answer.

"You're mad," she whispered.

A dry smile crept over his face. "Perhaps."

The train suddenly pulled to a halt, and gratefully the group piled out of the train, Draco following at a distance. Overhead, thunder boomed and lightening forked through the sky, while a steady stream of rain began to fall.

"Strange weather for early September," Harry whispered. The Gryffindor's nodded.

Suddenly they realised that Draco was behind them, watching the sky with a strange glint in his eye. "And so the school year begins," he whispered.


	4. Back To School

DISCLAMIER- I don't own Harry Potter (if I did Draco would be in love with a character based on me lol) the only thing that I own is Lilly Grawp.

Chapter 4- Back To School

The great feast was different that year. Although Albus Dumbledore seemed to not notice the weird atmosphere that swept through the hall, Lilly noticed and it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up in fear. It was as if an ominous black cloud hung over the students, with even the first years seeming more jittery then usual.

Realizing that since the beginning of the sorting a mouth had persistently been massaging her neck, Lilly turned to face Harry, who smiled tenderly at her. His smile faded when he saw the concern on her face. "What's wrong babe?" He asked, and for the first time Lilly felt a stab of annoyance at his cliché use of endearments.

She paused to compose herself then tried to piece her thoughts together. "It's… the feast. The whole thing seems so… gloomy." She shook her head, trying to express herself. "Look at you. You're sitting there like we always do, Hermione and Ron are arguing like they always do-" she nodded across the table where Ron was once more protesting at Hermione's ignorance about Quidditch. "And yet… Something's changed. The storm this evening- like you said weird weather for September. And what Malfoy said on the train…"

Harry snorted. "He was just trying to scare you. He loves to think that fear follows him- don't give in to it Lilly. You're probably just tired."

Lilly frowned, not liking the way Harry had just brushed off the subject. "Maybe you're right. You know, I am actually very tired." Harry leaned forward and tried to kiss her, but Lilly moved her chair back quickly. Harry almost fell of his chair and regained his balance looking confused. "I think I'll skip the feast," she said quickly, standing up.

"Lil-" Harry began, peeved by her sudden change of attitude towards him.

"I said I'm tired, Harry," she snapped. Walking quickly out of the hall, she did not notice silver eyes watching her leave.

That night she tossed and turned, unable to get to sleep. Eventually she grabbed a rug and levitated a mattress and pillow out of the Gryffindor Common room. Quietly, she snuck up the stairs to the astronomy tower, and there she laid down the bedding. Pulling the rug around her, she sat on the window sill and watched the moonless night. Somehow it seemed foreboding, and Lilly shivered slightly in the cold air- not from chill but a strange apprehension. It was her sixth year and she had a feeling it was not going to be a good one.

Shivers ran up and down her back and determined to catch at least a few hours sleep, she lay down on the thin mattress and banished all fearful thoughts. She was Lilly Grawp, she reminded herself. The girl that half the boys lusted after, the one who was in total control of herself, the one that feared nothing. With a shaky idea of this girl in her head she fell asleep.

Waking only four hours later, she heard a raven crying somewhere in the dark. Her fear from last night engulfed her again, and clambering back onto the windowsill she watched the sun rise, wondering what this strange apprehension was.

She kept remembering what Malfoy had said on the train... somehow it had got to her and she didn't like it.

_"You're mad."_

"Perhaps." An amused grin, steel glinting in his cold eyes; daring her to challenge him.

"Is he?" she spoke her thoughts out loud. "Is he mad? I never thought of him like that: cruel, evil, discriminating yes but mad? I don't know." Her soul seemed to have been suddenly dipped in coldness. "What has he seen to make him go mad?"

"Things you'll never know. Things that you'd fear and despair of. Things that you'd be tempted to leap off that very ledge to escape from." 

Apprehension clutched at her, and she turned her head to identify the speaker though she already knew who it was. Draco Malfoy leaned on the wall, watching her intently.

Opening her mouth to utter some witty, cold statement, Lilly suddenly changed her mind. "Fuck off Malfoy."

He flinched, and Lilly stared at him amazed at this sudden break in personality. But then his composure returned and when he spoke it was in the same cold tone that he always used. "I'll fuck off when and if I want to. I have more right to this castle then you."

"Oh really?" spat Lilly. "Well I think you'll find that I too am a pureblood- that's what means so much to your precious family isn't it?"

Draco smiled. "So you would think. Of course, you never look deeper into the morals of a _true_ pureblood family. Pick out one value like you just did and use it over and over again as you and Potty, Weasel and the mudblood do- keep it as your mantra against me if you will, for you are ignorant; you read the first rule in the book then presume you can play the game. You know nothing, Grawp."

Lilly glared at the pale featured boy. "Practice what you preach, boy. What have you against muggle-borns? That 'mudblood' you spoke of is currently beating you in marks by a considerable amount. Perhaps _you_ should read more than the first rule- Hermione Granger is a person and more of one then you will ever be."

A strange expression overtook Draco's face. His gaze went up and down her body, from her bare feet to shock of red hair. "Are you so sure?" he muttered almost inaudibly.

Lilly did not hear him. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Malfoy? Sizing me up?"

Draco didn't miss a beat. "There is more than one reason for sizing someone up, Lilly. One is as you no doubt know to check out their body. The second is to see what curse would be used to the best effect." He smirked. "What do you think I was doing?"

Lilly didn't bother answering. "Goodbye, Malfoy," she said, gathering her stuff and once more levitating her mattress. "I can't say it was pleasant seeing you."

She left the room and didn't look back. Draco Malfoy however crossed to the sill and sat on it, slate-gray eyes gazing at the doorway where she had left.

"Ignorant boy," Lilly muttered, sitting somewhat miserably in the library that evening. "I hate him!"

"Hate who?" an inquiring voice asked quietly.

Looking up, Lilly saw Luna slide into the chair in front of her. "Oh, it's you." she said harshly, not mad at Luna but wanting to take her rage on the git out on someone.

"Who do you hate?" Luna repeated, eyes wandering dreamily around the room.

"Draco Malfoy, the ignorant prat. I don't know why Dumbledore keeps Slytherins at the school, there's not one death eater that hasn't been in that house! He should cart the lot of them off to Durmstrang, where they belong."

Hermione appeared as if from nowhere and sat down at the table with them. "What are you talking about?" she asked in a breezy manner.

"Slytherins," Lilly spat. "And how they're the most ignorant, annoying, evil, manipulating little pricks to ever walk the planet."

"Harry Potter was considered for Slytherin," Luna said mistily.

Lilly and Hermione both stared at her, flabbergasted. "You- you're lying!" Lilly accused, angrily.

"N-no, she's not," Hermione stammered. "How'd you know, Luna?"

"Harry told me," she replied calmly.

Lilly was baffled. "Harry Potter was considered for Slytherin? You've both gone completely insane."

"No Lilly," Hermione said quietly. "It's true. He told us."

"Well why would he have told _you_ then?" Lilly almost shouted, turning on Luna.

"I think Harry Potter sees a certain similarity between us, ever since I told him about my mother dying. Besides, I notice things. He always looks a little worried when someone calls him a true Gryffindor, and he often hesitates before calling all Slytherin's evil. Like I notice how you Hermione always turn red when ever a certain..."

"Shut up!" screeched Hermione, slapping Luna's hand while Lilly suddenly became intrigued.

Luna smiled, protruding eyes seeming strangely mischievous. "I have to go to the common room," she said. "I wouldn't stay here long if I were you. Lord Tweezemont-"

"Who's Lord Whatshisname?" Lilly interrupted.

"Lord Tweezemont. Tom Riddle's father, the most evil of all wizards, and he has sent out an army of Nerfles to fly through the books in secret passageways that only they know and invade the minds of innocent students."

"There's no such _thing_-" Hermione began with an exasperated sigh as Lilly stifled a giggle.

"Yes, there is," Luna continued. "Cornelius Fudge actually unwittingly created the Nerfles from excessive ear wax…"

She and Hermione left the library, arguing furiously and leaving Lilly to meditate on the revelation that Luna had unveiled.

Harry was almost sorted into Slytherin? _Impossible. He's the boy who lived, for crying out loud! Yet Hermione said it was true… Why wouldn't he have told me?_

She frowned. Maybe he hadn't thought to. "But," she muttered under her breath. "It's not exactly something you forget. Shouldn't you put that on your dating resume? _I'm a great kisser and have the lovely addition of fame and most people worship me, but unfortunately I was almost sorted into Slytherin so I'm probably evil at heart._" Lilly shook her head. Harry was definitely not evil.

"**Definitely** not evil," she said in a small, uncertain voice before gathering up her books and preparing to leave.

Lilly was walking along the corridor with her head in a very good book when she was suddenly pushed hard against a wall. Before she could cry out, a hard mouth pushed onto hers and a tongue explored her mouth. This was definitely not Harry. Struggling, she found that she was pinned to the wall and had no way of escaping. To any passer by she must have looked like she was involved in a snog fest, and there was no way they were going to help her.

Struggling and shaking, breathing through her nose Lilly felt panic rise within her. She tried to scream but the hot, awful mouth covered hers blocking out any noise. Bile rose in her throat but refused to eject, although she would have welcomed a good spew- it would have got whoever this was off her.

Suddenly the strange man collapsed and she looked into the furious eyes of a boy, wand out and pointed at the groaning heap on the floor. Still shaking, she looked down and saw the awful face of Gregory Goyle.

Managing to stumble a few steps away from him, Lilly felt her knees shake and then give way as she collapsed into a small heap on the floor. Then she vomited, its taste horrible and hurting her throat.

A cool hand held her forehead and pulled her hair back as she vomited and vomited. When she finished it offered her a cloth and a glass of water, then Vanished the mess on the ground. The person helped her too her feet and took her to a wall which she leaned against. Turning to face the boy who had saved her, for the second time that day she found herself face to reluctant face with Draco Malfoy.

"Your idea I expect," she managed to say in a trembling voice.

"No." his voice was quiet. "Not mine."

"But you knew… You knew it was going to happen."

"I thought it was Parkinson. It would have been funny to see her face…"

"You think I look like Parkinson?"

He rubbed his forehead, stressed. "No. You wouldn't understand…"

"I don't understand why you seem to take Goyle molesting me as a regular thing!" she exploded.

"I don't!" he yelled. "I bloody pulled him off you!"

"But you knew it was going to happen! Why'd you let him do it in the first place?"

"Look, Goyle told me Pansy was about to walk round the corner and wouldn't it be funny if he kissed her. I agreed it would be- I didn't know it was you! He's been lusting after you since fifth year…" He flicked a strand of hair out of his eyes.

"I should have known he would have played some trick like this… He's so thick I can usually see through him." He was berating himself, talking to himself rather then Lilly and unbelievably, Lilly began to cry.

Draco stiffened, not knowing what to do. "Lilly. Lilly, pull yourself together for Gods sake," his manner was abrupt, cold and Lilly would never have guessed it was because he was unused to crying girls.

"Shut up," she whispered. "Just shut the hell up Malfoy. If your mate bloody snogs me I'll cry if I want. Just… just piss off."  
"Lilly-"

"Please."

He stood perfectly still for a moment, then nodded his head. "Are you okay to get back to the common room?"

"I- I think so." she took a few steps of the wall and instantly collapsed again, she was shaking too hard to stand freely.

"Er, look I'll take you back okay? You need help and it's past curfew, so you're friends will probably bee in the common room."

Much as Lilly wanted to say no, and make her own way back, she knew that Draco was talking sensibly. So uncomfortably, she leaned on his shoulder and allowed him to wrap an arm around her waist. In this strange manner for the two enemies, they made their way to the seventh floor, where Lilly had instructed him to go. Stopping outside the portrait of the fat lady, they pulled apart from each other and Lilly leaned on the wall.

"Well, seeya." She murmured, blushing.

"Bye."

"Malfoy? This doesn't mean we have to be friends, does itr?"

She saw something that looked like anger flash across his face but it was instantly replaced with a sneer. "Of course not. You'll always be a weasel to me. Besides, it's not like I saved your life or anything."

They both knew that he had as good as.

He strode away, and Lilly had a dreadful feeling rthat she had made a mistake. "Draco?"

He turned, surprised at her slip of tongue- why was she calling him Draco? "Yeah?"

"Thanks."

He smiled and nodded, then left.

"Hippogriff," Lilly muttered and stumbled inside the common room where Harry sat alone.

"Hello Lil!" He smiled at her.

"It's Lilly." Her voice was cold but Harry did not seem to have worked out that she was angry with him yet.

"Come sit on my lap," he smiled as seductively as the seventeen year old could.

"No thank you," Lilly snapped.

"Hey Lilly! What's wrong?"

Lilly rounded on him, fury building up inside of her. "What's wrong, you bastard, is that I just was pashed- unwillingly to say the obvious- by Gregory Goyle, and you are sitting here in your big fat chair on your big, fat arse and _daring_ to ask me to sit on you!"

She collapsed into a chair by the fire.

Harry stood up, looking not unlike Dumbledore, with fury lining his face.

"Where is he? I'll kill him I swear!"

"There's no need. You'll find him on the second floor by the picture of Podeous the Pompous in a heap, lying where-" she smiled in grim satisfaction at the horror this was going to cause Harry "-right where Draco Malfoy left him."

There was silence, horror on Harry's side (as Lilly had predicted) and smugness on hers. Finally, Harry managed to squeak out one word. "What?"

"That's right. When _you_ failed to turn up, even Draco Malfoy- my nemesis- did a better job of saving me." She took a large swig of the butterbeer Harry had gfiven her.

"That's a little unfair, Lil. How could I have known you were in trouble?"

Lilly set the goblet down with an almighty clang! "That's your problem, isn't it!" she shouted. She stormed up to the bedroom and went to sleep, loathing Harry Potter with every inch of her heart.

Lilly awoke with a sinking heart. Lying comfortably in bed, she wondered where this sadness had come from then remembered the events of last night. Crawling out of bed, she grabbed jeans and a black crisp shirt with her school robes folded on top and panties and a bra tucked neatly underneath. Entering the girls' bathroom she placed the outfit on a shelf and rubbed her eyes sleepily.

Mumbling about how boyfriends should be more considerate she stumbled into the shower only to find that some hilarious youth had jinxed it with a Cold Water spell and Lilly was forced to take a freezing shower. Getting out finally with chattering teeth, she pulled out her clothes and garbed herself as quickly as possible. Frowning at her face in the mirror, she pulled her long wet hair into a loose ponytail, and brushed her teeth.

Throwing her school books, quill, parchment and ink into a worn out satchel, Lilly heard the castle clock strike half nine. The words half nine wandered through her head, searching for something to connect to. Half nine… and lessons were at ten! Running downstairs, Lilly figured that she only had time for some toast. As she crossed the last stretch of passageway before the Great Hall, Lilly's hair tie snapped and hit her in the face, causing her to rub it, wincing.

Reaching the Great Hall at last to see that the last of the slow eaters was finally meandering out, Lilly grabbed and buttered a piece of (by now cold) toast and was about to add strawberry jam when she stopped. There **was** no strawberry jam left. Nor any other topping except for…

Marmalade. She groaned. She _hated_ marmalade. But she was starving so she ate it slowly and unwillingly.

When she was halfway through her breakfast, Draco Malfoy swept into the Great Hall looking somewhat less immaculate then usual. The buttons of his robes were undone, showing black jeans and a black t-shirt, and his hair reminded Lilly of Harry's; it fell all over the place and looked as if it hadn't yet been combed. It also looked wet… though that was strange as he had some sort of charcoal mark under a lock of hair that she had seen last night, so he couldn't have had a shower.

He was about to sit at the Slytherin table when Dumbledore- who was the last remaining teacher- stood up, eyes twinkling merrily.

"Mr Malfoy, as you can probably tell, the house elves have just finished clearing the Slytherin table- indeed all of the places save the one next to Ms Grawp, so if you could please sit there."

"But sir-"

"With all due respect, Mr Malfoy, it was a command not a request."

Draco reluctantly stood up and hoping to God that none of the other Slytherins' saw him here, went and sat next to Lilly.

They ate in a tension filled silence until Lilly finished eating. Pulling out her timetable to check the lessons ahead, before she read it she couldn't help a small, despairing mutter; inaudible to all but her.

"Can this day get any worse?"

She studied her timetable and swore. Double Potions.

He woke with a start, ice cold water being poured with great relish over him. Pansy Parkinson giggled as she shook the last few drips out of the jug and tried not to laugh outright as Draco sat up, swearing.

"What the hell d'you think you're doing, Parkinson?" he snapped, running a hand through his already messy hair.

"Sorry Draco," she laughed. "But it's half nine and you have to get up. I've already had my breakfast."

"Half nine! Are you crazy woman? Why didn't you wake me earlier?"

Pansy shrugged and left the room, smothering sniggers under a hand. Draco got dressed in world record time, not bothering with a shower. After all he'd had one yesterday- or was it the day before? He shrugged, not caring. After all, he was a teenage boy- and as long as he kept himself cleaner then the golden trio that was all that mattered.

Throwing his school robe loosely over his outfit, he tied his sneakers, brushed his teeth and ran out of the dormitory, vowing to kill Parkinson the moment he got his chance. She was sitting down with her legs swinging over an arm of a chair, reading a book about some sort of long dead wizard.

"Ready for breakfast are we Draco?" she giggled, unable to resist a final jibe.

He didn't have time to kill her, so he simply gave her the finger and left. As he left the common room he heard her voice echo through.

"What a ridiculously mudblood gesture, Draco dear! You want to improve your comebacks."

He muttered something under his breath and began to ascend the staircases that would lead him to the great hall. As he was about to enter, he bumped into a Hufflepuff third year whom he recognized as always being the last one to finish any meals.

"Get out of my way, Hugglepork," he hissed, feeling a moment of grim satisfaction descend upon him as the child squeaked and ran away. Entering the Great Hall, Draco involuntarily caught his breath. Lilly was the only student and she looked… stunning. Her brown hair fanned out across her back and as she had her back to the main table he could see that she had left the top two buttons of her robe loose, along with the first button of a black shirt that clung beautifully to her curves- was it done purposely? he wondered. It revealed a patch of skin, whiter then he had ever imagined and it seemed to taunt him.

He kept his face smooth, and was about to sit at the Slytherin table when Dumbledore announced that he should sit at the Gryffindor table- next to Lilly.

"But sir-" _you can't expect me to sit next to her. She's a mudblood lover, and what's worse is that I can't breathe properly whenever I'm near her. I can't sit next to her sir; because my heart thumps so loudly that it hurts and I'm surprised no-one can hear it._

He didn't say this of course, but he thought it and when he walked to the table his lip curled from sheer habit.

_God don't let the Slytherin's see me here…_

She ate as fast as she could, and he knew that she was avoiding his eyes, as he was hers. She muttered something that he couldn't quite catch and then seemed increasingly angry about something that her timetable said. When she left, he sighed with relief and longing. He wanted her to leave… and to stay. Checking his own timetable, and checking that he had his Charms books, he stood and prepared to leave, leaving his half eaten toast on the plate. Not like it was a great loss- he hated marmalade.

As he made his way out of the hall, he thought he saw Lilly's face again in his mind, as it had been when he had walked to sit next to her. The expressions on it where a mix; horror, disgust and… something else? No, of course not. He must have imagined it.

"Bloody teenage hormones," he muttered, leaving for his lesson.

A/N- Hey if u guys want more then I need more reviews tell me what u ppl think! So I aint goin on with the story till I get more reviews!


	5. Piece By Piece

Chapter 5- Piece By Piece

Lilly's face was ashen and pale as she entered double Potions. Luna had a spare chair next to her so Lilly slid into that, but she felt increasingly weak. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out her quill and parchment with a shaking hand, and placed her wand on the table. The heavy Potions textbook slipped out of her hand however, and landed with a thump on the floor. Luckily Snape had not yet arrived, but she cursed herself for her own clumsiness. Finally pulling out her bottle of ink, she cried aloud when her hand gave a particularly violent shake and dropped the bottle, causing the ink to fly everywhere as the bottle shattered into a thousand pieces.

"Clumsiness, Ms Grawp, will not be tolerated in my classroom," came the cold voice of Professor Snape as he swept into the dungeon. "Five points from Gryffindor. Reparo." He placed the fixed bottle on Lilly's desk with a sneer. "Watch yourself," he hissed.

Lilly blinked large brown eyes at him, and her chest heaved up and down quickly. With a slight moan, Lilly fell to the floor, eyes closed.

"It's all very strange, Albus. She has no fever, cold, sickness or disease, no broken bones or torn muscles, no evidence of a build up of pain nor lack of sleep or nutrition. There are no symptoms at all for her collapse."

"Has she been checked for magical symptoms?"

"Yes, nothing there either. It's as if… as if she died of natural causes."

"But she is not dead," the male voice came sharply.

"No, no, of course not, Headmaster. But it is just as unexplained as that…" There was a long sigh.

"Maybe there's dark magic at work!" came a worried different voice.

"Mr Potter, I have told you to get out. Lilly does not require your presence for her recovery. And there is no dark magic at work, because there is no evidence of magic at all- if there was any magic used in her collapse young man, I can assure you that I would have found a trace of it. Now leave."

Heavy footfalls resounded across the room then faded to nothing.

"You do know what the strangest thing about this is, Albus?"

"No, Poppy, I do not. Enlighten me."

"Professor Flitwick has informed me that Draco Malfoy collapsed at exactly the same time. He's in the bed next to Ms Grawp's, and he too has no sign at all of what may have caused this sudden lapse into unconsciousness."

There was silence for a minute, then the male voice came again, slowly.

"Could there be a connection between the two?"

"Well naturally there must be. I mean, it is a bit of a coincidence isn't it?"

"Coincidences happen."

"You know as well as I do that the fool who says that is the one caught by surprise when something bad happens _because_ of that coincidence- something that could have been stopped."

"I know. I was hoping that this would be one of those unexplained magical things that do not have any further impact on anybody's life. Have you checked for a connection between the two students?"

"I have. I could not see anything… but the strangest thing happened last night as I was watching over the pair."

"What?"

"A woman appeared. She was obviously not human… she was almost transparent. Yet she was not a ghost. She looked…" There was a gulp. "Like a female Draco Malfoy."

There was a hiss as someone took in a sharp breath.

"Continue, Poppy."

"She cried aloud- an awful cry, Albus, I'll never forget it for as long as I live. And then the curtain between the two flew back and she pointed at Mr Malfoy and Ms Grawp and- and- I saw their auras…"

"You're absolutely sure?"

"Yes Albus. I've never been surer of anything in my life. The boy- his was black with streaks of gold and green. Hers was gold, with streaks of black and red. And between them… there was a link. A silver chain that stemmed off hers and finished on his. It was… awe inspiring. But the woman… she seemed terrified of it. And she brought out this knife and tried to cut it in half, but it wouldn't be broken… Not even frayed. And she disappeared, with tears running down her face… And I felt… this strange maternal pain… one that I have not felt for so many years… twenty years, Albus, when William died."

There was a broken sob, and a soothing male voice.

"He was only three months, Albus. So young and I loved him so much." A sniff. "It was a long time ago. But when the woman tried to break the link… all the pain came back to me, as fresh as it was the day I realised he was gone forever. And yet with it-" the woman's voice was full of wonder. "There came a strange hope. And I had this strange sense that everything was going to be okay." There was a light chuckle. "I'm rambling. But it was the strangest experience I've ever had. Ever."

"Thank you Poppy. I must take time to consider this turn of events. But for now…"

Two sets of footsteps began to walk away, the voices becoming indistinguishable. A slight breeze blew through the Hospital Wing, and once more the curtain blew back between the beds of Draco Malfoy and Lilly Grawp.

Suddenly, resounding through the castle came the sound of a heavy gong. It was inexplicable, but at the same moment both Lilly and Draco's eyes flicked open, both becoming wide awake in a moment.

Lilly's tongue flicked over her dry lips, searching for some droplet of moisture. Sitting up and rubbing sleep out of her eyes, she blinked in surprise to find herself sitting in the hospital wing.

"What the hell…" she murmured. Her eyes flicked over to the table set beside her bed and alighted upon a glass of water. Taking it and drinking it all in one long swig, she suddenly saw who was in the next bed.

Draco Malfoy too had woken with a terrible thirst, and he too found a glass of water on a bedside table which he too finished in one drink. Then he noticed Lilly who had been staring at him as he seemed to follow what she had done exactly without realizing it.

"_You_," she hissed.

"Lilly? What are you doing in the Slytherin-" it suddenly dawned on him that he wasn't in the Slytherin Common Room, and his expression grew confused.

"What am I doing here?"

"How would I know?" she snapped, angry for no reason. "I woke up with no idea where I was as well. And why isn't the curtain drawn back?"

"I was in Charms class," Draco mumbled to himself. "And I got all shaky… I dropped the books… Parkinson was laughing…"

Lilly had been listening. "Oh, that must have been a frightening experience, seeing old pug-face laughing down at you…"

At that moment the object of their discussion walked over and spotted Draco, a relieved expression coming over her face. "Oh, thank God you're awake Draco…" She spotted Lilly suddenly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Lilly sneered at her. "Look what the cat brought in," she spat. "A stinking, ugly rat."

Pansy glared at her, then turned back to Draco, ignoring Lilly. "I'll go get the nurse."

"You don't need a nurse, dear, you need a plastic surgeon," Lilly laughed, delighted with herself.

Pansy stalked off, and Draco leapt out of bed the moment she was out of sight. Lilly too stood up, sensing a fight and as she did so cursed Madam Pomfrey.

The nurse didn't like the patients wearing school robes when she put them under an examination- as Madam Malkin's robes often had a bit of magic in them that blocked intrusions. Therefore she used a charm that transformed the clothes into more hospital appropriate gear. However, the more clothing you wanted on them, the more complicated the spell and Madam Pomfrey insisted that she needed to use simple charms whenever possible so that she would be fresh when she needed to perform harder spells.

Lilly had woken up in a thin white nightdress, which was drifting just above her knees and was a little too tight for her liking. It seemed that the nurse had cut down even more on Draco, who was wearing a pair of white pants- and nothing else. His bare chest was in full view, and his taught yet not over-muscley (but not fat or thin either) body in contrast with his blazing eyes was kind of breathtaking.

"Don't speak to her like that!" he spat.

"Ooh, I seem to have hit a nerve," Lilly sniggered, never letting her fascination with him show.

"Don't you ever talk to her like that, you dirty-"

"_Somebody's_ overprotective about their girlfriend-"

"She is _not_ my-"

"Well you certainly _act_ like it, swaggering around the place like some overgrown-"

"At least _I_ don't follow the Dream Team around like some stray looking for a life who-"

"I do _not_ follow them-"

"_Mr Malfoy! Ms Grawp What do you think you are doing_?" The cold, furious voice of Madam Pomfrey froze both of them to the spot. "_Yelling_ in the Hospital Wing! I am _disgusted_! Twenty points from Gryffindor and Slytherin!"

"But-" both voices clamored at once.

"No buts! You've both been unconscious for three days, and the first thing you do once waking up is have a screaming fight?"

Both were completely silent. Then, Lilly gasped "_Three days_?"

"Yes. Both Mr Potter and Ms Parkinson have been very worried."

Lilly and Draco both turned red.

"I would like to conduct a brief medical examination on the both of you before releasing you- if I deem you well enough. Once you leave you may have the rest of the day free from lessons."

Albus Dumbledore walked with his eyes on the ground. He was allowing himself to do the one thing he rarely did in company; despair. Tears glistened in his twinkle-free blue eyes, and a heavy sadness weighed upon his heart.

His thoughts returned often to what Poppy Pomfrey had said.

_She looked like a female Draco Malfoy…_

Could it be that Aurora Malfoy had returned when she sensed that times of death were drifting ominously towards the castle, like a black cloud? Albus did not know. He sank down upon a step in front of an empty, unused classroom opposite from the Divination Tower, head in his hands.

"I need you Lissy," he whispered. "Now more than ever."

His mind drifted back to a stormy night, and he shivered as the chill of the memory settled upon him.

**_Flashback_**

A younger Albus Dumbledore opened the door and ushered the woman inside. She wore a black, shapeless cloak that was obviously worn to conceal the persons identity, but she did not fool Dumbledore although Albus doubted that it was he she wished to deceive. She pulled off her cloak and hung it dripping on a coat rack, revealing the form of Narcissa Malfoy.

Black eyeshade and mascara gave her the impression of darkness, and her deep red lipstick made a startling contrast to her pale face. "Albus," she said in that deep throaty voice. Dumbledore had once heard a student in his Transfiguration class say that she had the voice of a sex goddess.

"Narcissa. What a pleasant surprise to see you… I must admit surprise that you are here; I would have thought that Lucius Malfoy had banned you from visiting me."

A faint pink blush crept over her cheeks. "Lucius is very… protective of me," she murmured. "But first and foremost I am Narcissa Black, half-sister to Aurora Malfoy; and Lucius need never know I was here."

Albus nodded, his back to her, hands clasped in front of the fire.

"I have not come for idle chitchat, Dumbledore. You know that Lucius' son, Draconis, will start Hogwarts in the following year."

"If he is accepted," the reply was soft and mild, in no way threatening.

"Don't be stupid," hissed Narcissa. "The boy is a _Malfoy_ for God's sake. And recently he has been breaking windows accidentally when he gets angry without even being in the room. We both know he will be accepted."

There was a small, almost imperceptible nod.

"Aurora appeared to me last night in a dream. She told me to come here and tell you to- to look after the boy. He must not love, she said. We all know the prophecy. By all means let him lust, let him kiss, let him do whatever hormonal teenage boys do, but on no account let him love."

"But love is the greatest magic of all."

"No," Narcissa replied harshly. "Death is. Aurora… she is terrified for him. Her bonds of love for him tie her to the earth and she is in limbo, unable to go anywhere though not by conscious choice." Fear passed over the woman's face, a dark shadow. "She- she haunts me. Draco knows nothing of his true mother; he thinks I am his true mother. But Lucius cannot hide it for many more years… Soon…. soon he will know." Her eyes filled with dread. "And what will happen then I do not know…"

"I'm afraid of him, Albus. He is only ten, yet his stare is so powerful- his whole demeanor is powerful. I hate being left alone with him."

"I will look after him, Narcissa. I promise."

Narcissa closed her eyes, a strange look passing over her face before she stood up and shrugged on her cloak again.

"I may not see you again soon, Godfather."

"I know. Narcissa…"

He pulled up one of her sleeves, traced the dark bruise on her arm. She flinched. His eyes met hers, questioning.

She stepped out of the doorway and prepared to leave but finally turned back to him. She spoke for the last time in many years to him, and the harrowing words sent coldness into his blood. "Lucius gets angry."

**_End Flashback_**

He stood to leave when suddenly he heard a deep, throaty voice; one that he knew well but had not heard for a long time. He turned, and saw Sybil Trelawney with her eyes unfocused and staring beyond him.

"The dark days draw near, Dumbledore," she rasped. "The Dark Lord gathers his followers to him… Soon he will attack in a force never known before. With the black dog gone, it is down to his godson to save the wizarding world as we know it. But he will not be alone…"

There was heavy breathing, and then the awful voice of Sybil continued. "One shall follow the boy and fight at his side, the best friend of the Boy Who Lived. Another, quick of mind and love shall follow him and fight and die in the name of her claim."

Another deep breath. "But all Wizarding World should fall if it is not for two young adults, witch and wizard one with hair as red as flame, one with heart as cold as ice. Only once united will the Dark Lord be defeated… yet at a terrible cost."

"Remember the words of Aurora Malfoy! Let not her prophecy be forgotten, nor should mine…"

Trelawney blinked, her eyes refocused and she seemed for a moment unsure of her surroundings.

"Oh hello, Dumbledore. Leaving already?" she asked in her misty voice. "Oh well, give my regards to Fawkes."

Dumbledore nodded and left, sweeping across the castle in so worried and hurried a fashion that many students stopped and stared. Reaching his office, he finally called Minerva McGonagall.

"Minerva," he said quietly. "Have the following students brought to my office. Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger."

He stopped and stared into thin air, and Minerva prepared to leave. She was almost out of the door when…

"Wait." She turned. "Bring also Draco Malfoy… and Lillian Grawp."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6-

Lilly dreamt.

Harry was close to her, caressing her, loving her. She leant in to him, blending into him as much as she could. His aftershave smelt slightly different from usual… Sharper, spicier… she liked it a lot better than the one he usually wore. He smiled down at her, and there was no need for words. Suddenly, Harry's eyes saddened. He pushed her away… there was a flash of terrible green light… Harry was falling, falling… High pitched laughter resounded from somewhere.

She woke up sweating, terrified for a moment that it hadn't been a dream. Then she saw Draco… and screamed. It was only a short scream, because she quickly got control of herself but seeing Draco first thing upon waking up had been a bit of a fright.

"Hey- shut up, Lilly," Draco said, amused and not making her name sound like an insult for once.

"God you gave me a start," she said, a smile curving her pretty lips. "Where am I…?"

"Don't you remember?" Draco asked surprised. "You came running to the room of requirement…"

"Oh yes," Lilly said, memories flooding back to her. "After Dumbledore said that… that I might have to kill someone."

Draco's face darkened. "We have to talk about that," he murmured.

"What's to talk about?" she snapped. "I'm not killing anyone. Ever."

"Lilly, you have to listen to me. If they get the chance, the Death Eaters will kill you. Voldemort, given the chance, would kill you. There is no way that we can win against the Dark Side if we do not kill some of their numbers. Death Eaters will not feel pity for you; neither should you for them…" He smiled the terrible smile that took all light out of the air and gave nothing back. "I should know; I was raised by one. Death Eaters are killing innocent people. You would not be doing that- if they are caught alive Lilly, they would probably be sentenced to death anyway or Azkaban, which is worse."

"I don't want to kill anyone," Lilly said, lip trembling. "I'm seventeen… I'm not meant to know how to kill someone."

Draco sighed. "You mightn't even have to kill them," he said as gently as he knew. "Just as long as you know, as long as you can- can be able to save yourself and others if need be, then you'd be safe."

"Malfoy," she said quietly. "I think I've handled this rather well. I've just been told that I am expected to fight in a war and that pretty much the whole future of civilization rests upon me. I've agreed to take dueling lessons. I've agreed to spend more time with you, and that's saying something. But I'm not going to learn how to ruthlessly murder someone."

Draco rested his head on his hands, some locks falling into his eyes and Lilly felt a sudden strange temptation to brush them away rise in her. She folded her hands in her lap. "Things are changing," he said quietly. "I've got a feeling we're going to be made to grow up a lot faster then we should be-"

"I'm grown up," Lilly interrupted indignantly.

"You're very mature," Draco acknowledged.

Did he just pay me a compliment? she wondered, before realizing he was still speaking.

"But your reluctance to kill showed that you're not grown up yet. Neither am I. Neither is Potter, neither is your brother, neither is the Mud- er, Granger." he corrected himself at her glare.

Lilly suddenly understood what he meant. She nodded slowly.

"You don't have to learn to kill. But you're going to have to learn a few nasty curses."

"I know a few already," Lilly grinned.

"I know." he smiled wryly, remembering an incident two years ago. "Actually Lilly, that reminds me of something. In Umbridge's office, two years ago, remember? You were going to use that curse on me- the one I heard almost killed Granger in the department of mysteries. But you didn't. Why not?"

Lilly froze, remembering the event.

**Flashback**Time seemed to slow down. She was aware of Neville punching his fist in the air as he pulled off a curse and spells banged and cracked and (often) narrowly missed her. But it did not seem important to her. All she saw was him. His face was abnormally flushed in the excitement of the fight and his hair flicked in all directions as he swiveled, casting curse after curse in a desperate attempt to turn the odds. She almost felt sorry for him; except for maybe Pansy Parkinson he was the only good dueler on the Inquisitorial team. He had stopped wearing the gel, she noted. His hair seemed lighter without it.

She almost giggled watching him. He was laughing, a smile setting light upon his face. She did not know that his smile was only like this because he hadn't realised he was smiling; otherwise it would be dark and foreboding.

Does he only ever laugh happily in a fight? she wondered. Then her fighting instincts kicked in.

"Hey Malfoy," she called.

He turned and faced her and a strange look came over his face but before she could recognize it it was replaced with a cold, calculating glare.

He raised his wand and called out an unknown curse but Lilly nimbly dodged it. Opening her mouth and beginning to utter the first syllable of the dreaded curse, she started to slash her wand down as required when she met his gaze. There was fear in his eyes; he knew what the curse was. She stopped and let her wand fall to her side; the spell fizzled to nothing.

Knowing she still had to eliminate him from the battle, she cast a quick Bat Bogey Hex. That should keep him occupied, she thought grimly- but she was still grinning at the look that had passed between them.

Even as she joined Harry in the Forbidden Forest, she still had a lovely feeling in her stomach.

Like she had a bit of a crush.

**End Flashback**

"I don't know… I guess you were losing so badly I wanted to give you a bit of a chance," she said vaguely, knowing the lie sounded hollow.

Draco nodded, but there was an amused look in his eyes.

"Have… have you heard from Dumbledore?" Lilly asked.

"He sent an owl while you were sleeping. Our first lesson is tonight, at seven. Here."

"Tonight?" Lilly gasped.

"He seemed to think it was a good idea to get started ASAP," Draco explained.

"Oh. What time is it?"

"The castle clock struck half six just before you woke, so I'd say we have about a quarter of an hour till he joins us."

"Is he- is he going to teach us The Unforgivable Curses?"

"I… I think so. But you don't have to learn the killing curse, Lilly, I won't let him teach you that," his voice was suddenly fierce… Lilly felt warm and protected.

"Thanks… Draco."

His mouth didn't twitch but his eyes seemed to light up at her calling him by his first name.

They sat in comfortable silence. They seemed to follow a pattern; for two minutes Lilly would completely avoid Draco's eyes, staring out the window while he took the chance to study her and then they would swap.

Eventually, Dumbledore knocked and swept into the room. Lilly and Draco slid off the window sill and stood awkwardly in front of him, while Dumbledore observed them dryly.

"Er, Professor?" Lilly finally murmured. "I- I'm sorry for my actions earlier. It was all…" she hesitated. "A bit much."

Dumbledore smiled sadly at her. "I completely understand, Ms Lilly. But have you had adequate time to think over my words?"

Lilly nodded. "I have, Professor. But… but I still don't want to learn how to kill someone. I'll learn all you want, just not that. Please understand…"

Unconsciously, Draco stepped up to stand by Lilly, subtly showing his support for her. "That will be fine Ms Lilly," Dumbledore said smoothly. "And what are your thoughts on the matter, Mr Malfoy?"

"Sir, I don't want to kill anyone. But I think that I should learn the spell in case there is no other alternative in battle. You mentioned that Lilly and I would work together during fighting, so it makes sense if one of us is able to kill."

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "There is one other thing. I am sorry I have to bring this up, Draco, but I must ask where your loyalties lie."

Draco's eyes flashed dangerously. "My loyalties remain the same as they have ever been. Pity nobody's bothered to ask me what that was."

"I'm asking you now, Mr Malfoy."

Draco glared at the headmaster. He did not reply in words, instead rolling up a sleeve and showing a pale, unblemished arm. "Answer enough for you?" he said quietly.

Dumbledore nodded, unwanted sympathy showing on his face.

"We should begin," he said.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I want you to work as a team. Together, you must be able to bring down a great number of Death Eaters and be able to also distract Voldemort. I think that the way to make this war work is for you two to control his complete attention, giving Harry a chance at killing him. Only united can we win. That means, that one lesson a week Mr Potter, Ms Granger and Mr Weasley will be joining you so that you learn to work together."

Draco grimaced. Dumbledore ignored him.

"On Thursday nights, such as tonight, you will learn to move as a quick, accomplished team. You will both be taught to Apparate, along with all other members of the DA."

Lilly's eyes lit up. It seemed there would be good sides to this after all.

"I am also going to give you unlimited passes to the restricted section. You will be expected to train an extra three nights a week when you're not being taught. I know this might seem harsh, but it's better than being killed."

"You will also attend lessons once a week with Professor Snape. These lessons will go for two hours and will be divided into two parts. In the first half, you will learn to brew a series of deadly poisons. These are in case you are taken alive-"

Lilly interrupted. "You wish us to kill ourselves should we be taken captive?"

Dumbledore's eyes widened. "Good God no. I wish for you to be able to get out of there if your wands have been taken. As I was saying, in the second half you will be taught Occlumency."

Lilly and Draco exchanged a quick glance. "Do you understand?"

They nodded. "Any questions?"

There was a pause, and then Lilly spoke shyly. "Please sir, only it's a dreadful amount of work and it's Draco's NEWT year…"

"Of course. I will speak to your teachers about homework…" his eyes twinkled. "Sometimes I find teachers give homework more for quantity rather then quality. So I will speak to them about getting less work, although they will expect that your lesser amount of work be up to a higher standard. Also, I will speak to Professor Ellis about you two not attending Defense Against the Dark Arts as I think you will be doing more then enough, and perhaps to Severus about you missing one double potions lesson. Mr Malfoy, I will organize for you to undertake a different NEWTs exam, going more with the things you learn this year. Will that be sufficient?"

Lilly smiled. "Yes Professor. Thank you."

"Well, we better get started then."

They began simply. Dumbledore taught them how to block and particularly with Lilly he went over again and again the shield charm. Although she was pretty good at it, she could only hold it for a few seconds before holes began appearing in it. Draco got it pretty much straight away, although he would often lose his concentration after a minute, causing it to evaporate. Dumbledore was insistent about them learning to hold it for five minutes- quite a feat! By the time Lilly had managed it she was perspiring from the effort.

He revised their skills of simple defensive and attacking spells, and found that they were well ahead of their year level. He knew that Lilly had been part of the DA, but he wondered how Draco had become so good so quickly. He didn't think that Lucius seemed quite the teaching persona, but there was a dark mystery in Draco's eyes that defied him from asking.

The two hours dragged on, and when Lilly was finally allowed to leave she was exhausted. She wandered up to the astronomy tower, wanting some cool air when she found herself to her surprise joined by Draco Malfoy.

"What did you think of that?" he asked.

"Frankly," she replied honestly. "I don't know how I'm going to cope. I'm so tired… and I was unconscious for three days!"

"We'll probably get used to it," he said levelly. "Our bodies will adjust. I expect you'll feel tired for a week or so and then get on top of it. Good about missing out on Defense against Dark Arts though, hey?"

Ginny grinned. "You bet! I wonder if Harry and Ron and 'Mione got off it too."

"Probably didn't think to ask," he said coldly. She noticed that whenever he was relaxed any mention of "the trio" would be sure to bring him back to his usual self.

"Draco… Are you and Pansy going out?"

He looked at her amused. "No. We're just friends."

"Very close friends," she said suspiciously. "And what about the Yule Ball?"

"I took her as a friend!" he insisted.

"She called you 'Drakie'."

"That was annoying. But I didn't think you would be one to criticize a crush."

"What d'you mean?"

"What about your first year? At least Parkinson could talk to me without dropping something," he smiled as Lilly turned red. "She had the same kind of crush as you had on Potter."

"A big one then," muttered Lilly.

Draco stiffened. "Yes. Luckily, she grew out of hers."

Lilly glared at him. "Was that an insult Malfoy?"

"Of course not," he smiled innocently.

"Draco?" she said hesitantly. "Are we… still enemies?"

His demeanor became thoughtful. "I don't think so," he said slowly. "I don't think you get told that only united will you bring down the Dark Side without becoming…" he grimaced. "You know. I've never really been into the "F" word."

Lilly grinned. "So I'm privileged then."

"Yes. But don't go telling people or you'll be a privileged corpse."

She laughed, then yawned and apologized.

"You better go to bed."

"Yeah. Things sure change in a day, hey?"

"I suppose. Goodnight Lilly."

"Night." She stood uncomfortably for a moment, unsure of whether to hug him or just leave. Feeling foolish, she held out her hand to shake his. He took it gently, but instead of shaking brushed his lips on her hand.

They were standing too close for only recently reformed enemies, she realised. She could smell his aftershave; he hadn't let go of her hand. Finally, she pulled it away, and left with a small glance over her shoulder at him. He was staring into the starry night.

It was only as she reached the Gryffindor common room that she realized that Draco smelt exactly like Harry had in her dream.

Draco entered the common room late that night, at half past one in the morning. Only Pansy Parkinson was left, reading a new book. She looked up when he arrived.

"You're up late."

"I got plenty of sleep in the coma." he almost smiled.

"Where've you been? I didn't see you at dinner."

"I had to see Dumbledore… I ran into the Lilly on the way."

Pansy sneered. "Why are you telling me this, Malfoy? You think I care about her?"

"I'm telling you because we… Oh, fuck it. I guess I better start at the beginning."

He sat down and told her everything, leaving out the bit where he had watched Lilly sleeping on the windowsill for an hour and a half.

"So you and the Lilly have to work together?"

He nodded. She laughed. "You poor bastard."

He felt a sudden rush of rage. "Goodnight Parkinson," he said coldly, standing and heading up to the boys dormitory.

Pansy looked at the mirror on the wall. "He couldn't be," she said firmly.

"If you say so dear," it sang back.


	7. Chapter 7

It was with some hesitation that on Friday night, Lilly made her way down to the dungeons. Draco joined her at the top of some staircase that led deeper into the castle; she suspected it would lead to the Slytherin common room but did not ask, guessing that he wouldn't answer. They walked swapping idle banter for a little until they reached the potions classroom. Draco didn't seem at all worried, but then Harry had told her that he was Snape's favourite.

Lilly grimaced remembering Harry's reaction to her and Draco having to spend so much time together.

**_Flashback_**

"It's wrong!" Harry ranted. "You shouldn't have to hang out with that… that evil, conniving little boy! What the hell was Dumbledore thinking? Maybe heart of ice could have meant someone else…"

"Don't be an idiot Harry," she snapped in return. "How many people at this school have a heart of ice? Even most of the Slytherins have some good points, and I don't think the prophecy wants me to join forces with Snape. No, it's definitely him- Dumbledore thinks so and I believe him. Besides, he's not that bad-"

"Not that bad?" Harry yelled. "Are we talking about the same guy who's made your schooling life a misery for the past six years?"

"I've hardly been miserable. He was a nuisance- you're just annoyed because you're jealous."

"_Jealous_? Of the Ferret? Are you joking woman?"

"Oh come on Harry. A certain part of you feels honored that you're so important to wizards around the world. So was I. _You're_ jealous because Draco Malfoy may have something to do- something _major_ to do- in stopping the Dark Side."

Harry glared at her. "I'd almost think that you _want_ to hang out with him!"

"Don't be an idiot!" she repeated. "I'm just trying to stop the inevitable confrontation that is going to end with- with-"

She hunted desperately for words to suit her needs.

"End in tears?" Ron suggested quietly from the other side of the room where he had been watching.

Both Harry and Lilly turned around and said in unison "_What_?"

Ron turned red. "Mum used to say it," he muttered.

Harry made an exasperated snorting noise and turned back to Lilly. "Lilly, you're my girlfriend and I don't want that evil-"

"Oh so _this_ is what it's about then," Lilly screeched. "You're feeling threatened because you're worried that _I_ may fall in love with Malfoy? You _are_ crazy, Potter. And you're being too protective about me! D'you know what I do to people who get protective about me, Potter?"

Ron winced.

"I use my very good skills at Bat Bogeying!"

Ron let out a little whimper.

"So I'd watch it if I were you, Potter and if you don't believe me ask my dear brother who poked his nose in one times too many about the guys I was seeing!"

Ron gulped and nodded as Lilly stormed out of the room.

**_End Flashback_**

Draco smiled at Lilly and held the door open for her, stepping in after she did.

The sallow face of Severus Snape glowered at them, greasy hair falling into his face. His cold, black eyes lingered on Lilly and again, almost automatically, Draco stepped up and stood next to her. Snape raised an eyebrow and surveyed the pair, a small, mocking smile forming on his lips.

"So," he drawled. "Once more I am to teach students the art of Occlumency. I cannot say I am pleased about taking a Gryffindor into my extra-curriculum classes-"

Lilly snorted. Snape continued as if he hadn't heard. "As behavior demonstrated by one such Lion was proved most unsatisfactory-"

Lilly turned red and opened her mouth ready to retort when Draco stepped on her foot.

"But as I have been given no other option, I see it is necessary. Well, to begin we are to learn the subtle art of potions. I must warn you that the only potions we will brew here that would not kill you on the spot are the antidotes to such mixes. You are not here to have fun- you two have been selected for a dangerous task and as such I will ask you to act responsibly. I have seen such behavior demonstrated by Mr Malfoy in his classes, but not as yet from you, Ms Lilly so I will expect a change from you, now, if not sooner."

Lilly was only restrained from flying at the Potions Master by Draco's hand discreetly gripping her wrist.

"You may take your seats."

Lilly and Draco sat at the small table at the front. Sitting with Harry at such a table she would have felt perfectly comfortable. Now, she felt acutely the closeness between them, the tension. Static electricity seemed to crackle between them and every time one of them brushed the other it was like an electric shock.

Lilly couldn't help but wonder what this feeling was. Sure, she knew she'd had a crush on him for ages, since last year but this wasn't a crush. Lilly had crushes on heaps of people- this wasn't like that.

In her mind, the categories of romance when like this.

A Crush: this was when she thought someone was pretty good looking and wouldn't mind a good old game of seven minutes in heaven.

In Like: This was what she was with Harry. She really, really liked them, sure even on the borderline of loved them, but she found many of their habits irritating, them often annoying and sometimes, when they were her best friend for many years and they'd hang out all the time and then she began to date them, she went out of her way to avoid them.

In Love: She knew what this was. She didn't think she'd ever felt this for a guy not in her family, although some often tripped across it momentarily.

She was confused. Draco Malfoy slipped from category to category, and just as she thought he'd caught him permanently in one, he'd go and do something unexpected and brush out her grasp again. She contemplated for a moment creating a new category- 'The Draco Malfoy Category' before deciding that if ever Malfoy found out he'd be too smug.

Sighing and bringing her attention back to potions; Lilly listened to Professor Snape with increasing dread. He was describing, in great detail, the way that you would die if you dared sip of the Lockjaw Potion. Even Draco looked slightly repulsed by this and by the gleam in Snape's eyes, Lilly had a feeling that he was deliberately pushing her to try and see how much she would take.

Finally finishing his lecture, he reeled off the ingredients and told them to go fetch them from the storage cabinet.

"Excuse me sir," Lilly said, furrowing her brow. "But what page will I find the procedure on? I didn't quite memorize all of those ingredients."

Snape's mouth twisted in a mean smile. "Ms Lilly, are you really so stupid as to think that we would leave the procedure for making such a deadly potion in a book? This particular brew was never written down; it is passed down from people speaking to others about it to avoid the recipe falling into the wrong hands. For this reason I will tell you the procedure and the ingredients twice and then expect you to know them."

Lilly gaped at him.

"Are you hungry Ms Lilly?"

She shook her head, confused.

"Then I suggest you close your mouth and stop attempting to catch flies for dinner."

Lilly glared at him, and Snape once more smiled. He rattled off the ingredients again and between Draco and herself, they managed to remember them all. There were only four, but they had a habit of slipping out of your mind, probably to keep Death Eaters from remembering them, Lilly realized.

Professor Snape told them the procedure twice and again it was a short one, though complicated and like the ingredients, hard to remember. Draco and Lilly struggled to remember them and Snape had to (with much lecturing) repeat the second and third step again.

Eventually the potion was finished. It was a deep black, with blue steam rising gently from the surface. Its smell was enticing, and Draco felt drawn to pour himself a glass and sup of it. He reached with a thin ladle and was about to when Lilly grabbed his arm, staring at him in fear.

"Draco," she murmured, scared. "What are you doing?"

He ran his hand through his hair, puzzled. What _had_ he been doing? Lifting the ladle out, he placed it gently on the table. A drop (the last remaining drop on the ladle) slid gently off it and landed on the table. There was a hiss, and a in a matter of seconds the drop had evaporated, and there was a small, blackened hole that went right through the table. Snape saw it.

"You see the effects that just one drop can do. Imagine the effects on a human, with a glass full. Be careful with this potion."

Snape pulled out two tiny crystal vials and filled each with the potion. The crystal, much to Lilly's surprise did not melt or dissolve but instead held it. Snape, seeing Lilly's curiosity for once complied with her wishes.

"The crystal is reinforced with many powerful spells, some placed by Albus Dumbledore himself. You can be sure that these will not break nor be worn away." He tapped them, and a small silver chain looped through each one's cork (which was also pure silver). He tapped the cauldron holding the rest of the potion and muttered "Evanesco." It disappeared.

"Well, now that you have your draughts, we can proceed. But before, a word of caution. Those bottles are deadly poison. Whilst encased in crystal, you are protected from their acid and their enticing song-" his eyes fixed on Draco. "But never attempt to open the cork, for it will not open unless you need it." A sneer fixed on his lips. "Another of the headmasters brilliant ideas," he remarked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You are also here to learn the art of Occlumency." Snape's voice resonated throughout the dungeon. "This is an extremely difficult art, and I do not expect either of you to be naturals at it, especially Ms Lilly…" He sneered as she bristled with anger.

"I am going to try and invade your minds, and you must become completely emotionless. Think of no memories, try and keep all your thoughts blocked from me. If you must think something to keep yourself from going mad, think of inconsequential things, like what you had for breakfast, what your favourite color is, etcetera. Mr Malfoy, you will be first."

"Legilimens!" Snape hissed, and Lilly watched as that complete composure that she knew so well crossed Draco's face. She watched as for almost ten seconds he appeared completely calm, then a strange emotion passed over his face; anger, and fear.

As though he didn't know what he was doing, he grabbed a bottle of ink and threw it at Snape. "Get out," he bellowed.

Snape withdrew just as the bottle crashed several centimeters in front of his foot. Draco was breathing heavily, only slowly once more gaining control of his emotions.

"Reparo," murmured Snape, fixing the bottle. "Well done Mr Malfoy that was very well performed. Did you by chance watch his face, Ms Lilly? Completely still, until I got to him. After a few months practice you should be very good with Occlumency. I think you have a natural gift after all."

"Now, Ms Weasley," he smirked at her and Lilly felt dread cross her. What memories would she be forced to relive? What thoughts of hers would he see? She braced herself, trying to rid herself of all emotion and completely failing. Thoughts- ones that she did not wish to share- kept popping into her head. She took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"Legilimens," Snape spat, and Lilly unconsciously drew herself to her full height. She prepared for the invasion and was surprised… she didn't feel any different. Snape too looked puzzled.

"Legilimens," he shouted again, and again Ginny felt nothing.

Snape looked at her, astounded. "I don't understand," he muttered. "You are not using Occlumency to keep me out… What are you doing Ms Lilly?"

"Er, nothing that I'm aware of sir," she replied.

Snape thought for a moment then suddenly understanding crossed his face, followed quickly by anger and annoyance. "Ms Lilly, you have a natural shield," he said carefully, picking his words. She looked at him blankly. "It means that your mind is one of the few that has automatically created a guard against your emotions and thoughts… Can you think of any event in your life that may have caused this?"

Lilly felt her mouth go dry. She knew exactly what would have caused 'this'… but she didn't feel quite comfortable admitting it in front of Snape, though it was probable that he already knew.

"No sir," she said quietly.

His eyes stared into hers and she shifted uncomfortably, feeling naked under his gaze. She had a terrible feeling that Snape could sense thoughts… and she didn't like it.

"Very well then," he said coldly. "I don't want to push you too far in the first lesson. You are both dismissed."

Lilly and Draco quietly packed their things and left. Severus Snape's eyes watched the doorway as they left, mind pulling ideas to explain Lilly Grawp's strange reluctance to reveal what he knew that she knew was the cause of the shield. A sneer suddenly curved around his lips. Of course.

As usual the pair proceeded to the astronomy tower and sat in silence for a moment.

"_Do_ you know what might have caused the mind shield?" Draco asked abruptly.

"Yes, of course," Lilly said softly.

Draco nodded, a look of understanding coming over him. "So why didn't you tell Snape?"

Ginny stared at him. "Are you mad? As if I'm going to tell _him_ about _that_."

"He probably already knows."

"Not from my mouth he hasn't."

Draco couldn't help but laugh and Lilly grinned smugly at him, glad that she had finally broken through his shield, until she felt a sudden urge come over her. Draco was leaning on the wall, and impulsively, Lilly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Draco stared down at her bewildered for a moment. Then his arms went around her waist and he pulled her close to him. They stood like that for a few moments with Lilly's head resting on his chest and his arms holding her tight. Finally Lilly raised her head, tears trickling down her face.

"Draco," she whispered. "I'm dating H-"

"Shh," he murmured. "I know. Just this is enough."

But she knew it wasn't. In his eyes she saw the hunger and knew that it was mirrored in her own. She so desperately wanted to kiss him, to pull him close to her, to never let him go. Yet Lilly Grawp had always been fair, and her heart almost broke at the idea of deceiving Harry.

"Draco, I need to talk to Harry. I need to… make things right with him."

Draco stiffened. "We would never have worked anyway, Lilly," he said coldly, completely misunderstanding her as he pulled away from her. "Better that we never tried."

Before she could reply he had suddenly reverted back to his cold demeanor. "Go away Lilly. I see too much of you already. Just… go." Her tears fell fast and heavy; she tried to say his name but her throat would not allow her to.

She left the astronomy tower and set off towards the Gryffindor common room. Entering, she saw the very last person she wanted to see….

Harry Potter.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 6-

Lilly felt a dark cloud of foreboding descend upon her as her boyfriend stood and crossed the room to her. He smiled and pulled her up into his arms, attempting to kiss her on the lips.

Lilly pulled away.

He stared at her; was she still mad at him? "Lilly-" he began.

"Harry," she interrupted. "I…I think…" he smiled warmly at her. "I think we should break up," she blurted out.

He froze. His smile became cold and forced. "Is this a joke?"

"No," she murmured, tears springing to her eyes.

"But- but it was all working out so well," he stammered.

"No Harry. It wasn't you- you want to think it is, so we can keep on living this dream. And it is a dream, isn't it? Harry Potter, the boy who lived dating-"

"The most beautiful girl at Hogwarts," he finished hollowly. "I still don't see anything wrong with the dream, Lilly."

"Let me talk. We… we fight too much, Harry, you know we do. And you're so protective of me, until I want some protection and then you're off saving the world or in the usual case, getting bored with me and hanging with Ron and Hermione. You're either with me twenty four seven, stifling me, or not there at all! Harry, I know it's partly my fault but as much as I hate to say this, I don't like the person you are when you're dating me."

Harry shook his head. "It's not just that, Lilly. You loved me these holidays, didn't you? You couldn't have after all… love doesn't change her mind."

"I did… I do," she whispered miserably. "Just not in that way anymore."

"Well I'll- I'll make you!" He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her up to him. He forced his lips against hers, pushing his tongue against her mouth, demanding access. Lilly felt a cry rise within her and she pushed him away.

He had tears in his eyes, and she realised that for all Draco's words, Harry Potter did love her, or at least thought he did. He crumpled to the ground. "I'm sorry Lilly, I'm so sorry," he whispered again and again.

She began to cry too. "Oh Harry, I love you so much, but you're just a brother to me. I… I _thought_ I loved you in the way you love me, but I was just touched and honored that you… felt this way for me. I felt that… that I _had_ to, seeing as this was all I craved for over my first years here."

Harry smiled weakly, blinking back the tears and stood up. Lilly wrapped her arms around him, in the hug that she would have given to Ron, and Harry hugged her back trembling.

"So that's it then," he whispered.

"Yes Harry. That's it."

He smiled again, and began to go up the stairs, and Lilly sat down wearily in a chair and waited. After two minutes had passed, she began to count softly under her breath. "Five… four… three…. two….one…."

"Lilly!" came the enraged voice of Ronald Weasley who was leaping down the stairs two at a time.

"Hello Ron," she said quietly.

"YOU BROKE UP WITH HARRY? WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, YOU FOOL? HE'S EVERYTHING YOU'VE EVER DREAMED OF AND YOU'RE BREAKING UP WITH HIM?"

"Ron, please don't talk to me like that," Lilly began softly.

"WHAT POSESSED YOU, WOMAN? YOU'VE HAD A CRUSH ON HIM FOR YEARS AND WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM YOU FEEL THE NEED TO BREAK UP? WAS HE GETTING TOO BORING FOR YOU OR SOMETHING?"

"No, of course not I just-"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU 'JUST' DID OR THOUGHT OR FELT. GO UP THERE AND APOLOGISE TO HIM NOW, MAKE HIM TAKE YOU BACK."

"No Ron. I made the right decision. I have to stick by it now."

"SO IT'S YOUR PRIDE THEN? YOUR PRIDE WHICH MAKES YOU REFUSE TO MAKE IT RIGHT WITH HIM?"

"No Ron, it's more than that-"

"SO THERE IS THAT THEN. YOU ADMIT IT, YOU BLOODY WHOR-"

"I will _not_ have you speak to me like that Ronald!" Lilly shrieked, losing her temper. "It's my decision, I made it for all the right reasons and I'm sticking with it!"

"WHAT ARE THE RIGHT REASONS?" Ron bellowed back.

"I- I don't love him, I'm in love with- with somebody else."

Ron turned red, then purple. "_What_?" he said incredulously.

"Don't worry about it," Lilly muttered. "I'm going to bed. Thanks for making my evening such a pleasant one."

"Wait Lilly, I didn't mean to yell, I'm just confused. Did you say you're in love with someone else?"

"Yes."

"And are you?"

Lilly sighed. "No of course not, I just said it to make you stop yelling," the lie tripped smoothly off her tongue. "I broke up with Harry for different reasons- ones I'm not telling you. It's between me and Harry."

"Oh, right. Okay then. Hey, where were you this evening?"

"Lessons with Snape. Dumbledore's making me take extra ones. Goodnight, Ron."

"EXTRA LESSONS WITH SNAPE? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT FOR YOU-"

But Lilly had already left.

She did not stay in the Girls Dorm. She grabbed her broom from there, an old comet two sixty and flew out of the window, ignoring the annoyed mutters of some of the girls when cold air rushed into the dormitory. Her eyes glistened with tears, and her heart pounded hard against her chest. She flew directly to the astronomy tower, where she could just make out silver hair glistening in the moonlight. Swooping around in a circle, she flew through the window narrowly missing Draco Malfoy.

"I thought I told you to go," he said sharply.

"You did. I didn't listen," she smiled sweetly at him and he snorted contemptuously. "Now, now Malfoy, if the wind changes and you're still making that face it will be stuck forever!"

He sneered at her. "God you're naïve," he spat.

"No, Draco," she said gently. "I just see the glass as halfway, instead of your bullshit about it being half empty."

"So you're one of those ridiculous optimists then."

"No." She sighed. "I'm one of those ridiculous people who don't give a crap whether the glass is half full or half empty, because it's still water."

He didn't reply. His gaze was fixed on a star outside; he was staring at it as if his life depended upon it.

"Draco."

"Mmmn?"

She had a feeling he wasn't listening. "I'm growing a beard out of green spinach." No reaction. "I accidentally put my heart on the stove and now it's melting." Nothing. "I broke up with Harry."

He spun around as well as one could do on a windowsill, albeit a wide one. "What?"

"Got your attention now, have I? Listen to me, you fool of a boy. We need to get along for this whole defeating evil thing to work. You don't like me, I don't like you-" _Liar, liar, pants on fire._ "But can we please just try and be civil?"

"Did you say that you broke up with Potter?" he asked impatiently.

"Why do you care, Malfoy?" she said carefully.

His eyes met hers, and held them. She saw strange emotions there, ones that she couldn't quite define, but still feelings she had never thought she would see in Draco Malfoy's eyes. She felt something surge in her heart, and her eyelashes fluttered with the sudden excitement that was consuming her.

He looked away. "I don't." Disappointment seemed to flood her body, and he saw her face was flushed and sad. He knew she had been waiting for something, some gesture from him… but he was a Slytherin, and she was a Gryffindor.

There was an awkward silence. Finally, he spoke. "Lilly, it's late. We should be going back to the common rooms."

Lilly shuddered. "I can't."

He was confused. "Why not?"

"I told you, I broke up with Harry. I can't go back there; he's their hero and all the girls will have found out by now. I really am not in the mood for being attacked."

"Where will you go then?"

"I don't know. Guess I'll camp out here."

"It's winter. It's freezing!"

"I don't care."

Draco surveyed her thoughtfully. "You could try the room of requirement."

"What d'you mean?"

"If you wanted a place to stay overnight, I'm sure it would provide it for you."

"Hey, that's not a bad idea. Thanks Malfoy," she grinned, eyes alight with the idea of sleeping somewhere knew. "What time is it?"

As if in answer to her question, the castle clock boomed half past two. Lilly groaned. "I'm going to be a wreck for class tomorrow," she muttered.

"Why not wag?" Draco said suddenly.

"How can we? We're at a boarding school, remember?"

"Yeah, but just send an owl to Potter and the Weasel- I refuse to call him anything else, Lilly- saying you don't feel well."

"What about the Hospital Wing? I could go there and get fixed up in a second."

"Say that you can't be bothered dragging yourself to get fixed up and that you're loathe to miss a chance for a day off school."

Lilly nodded thoughtfully. "I'll probably be bored, but."

"I'll wag too, and come and hang out with you."

Lilly giggled. "I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be 'hanging out' with Draco Malfoy."

His cheeks tinged with pink. "Well, we could just practice spells and such, that's what I meant."

She smiled. "That'd be cool. What time should I expect you?"

Draco smirked. "Well it is a day off, so I on my part shan't be getting up until eleven."

"Hear, hear," Lilly laughed. "So I'll see you around quarter to twelve then?"

"That would be fine. Goodnight Lilly."

"Night Draco."

She left the astronomy tower and made her way to the room of requirement, sudden tiredness overwhelming her. Reaching the corridor she walked up and down it three times with only one thought in her head: _A place for tonight and tomorrow, whatever they may bring._ On her third walk back, the door appeared and gratefully she opened it and stepped inside.

It was a warm, cozy room with the same windowsill and drapes and a large bed with a thick quilt, soft pillows and soft mattress. Folded neatly on one of the pillows was a pair of pajamas: a cotton red tank-top with black pants were simple, yet warm despite her bare arms and Lilly, not bothering to notice the rest of the room, climbed into bed, pulled the covers over her head and fell straight asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

A bell clanged loudly waking her, and looking at a clock on the wall (that hadn't seemed to be there last night) Lilly realised it was eleven o' clock. Clambering out of bed and shivering as a cold wind hit her shoulders, she noticed another door. Opening it and peering curiously inside, she saw that it was a bathroom, with a shower and sink. Lilly smiled groggily and pulling her clothes off she stumbled into the hot shower. Smiling in delight as the hot water ran over her skin, she leisurely washed her hair and soaped herself down. She stayed in the shower for some twenty minutes, for if a teenager cannot have their long shower then what is the point of living? Finally stepping out of the shower, Lilly grinned at her reflection in the mirror and pulled a fluffy white towel around her.

The steam filling the bathroom heated the room quite nicely, so Lilly brushed her teeth in there and attempted to run a hairbrush through her knots. Both toothbrush and hairbrush had been found lying convieniently in a cupboard.

Walking back into the main room, Lilly suddenly remembered that she didn't have any fresh clothes. She groaned; she hated wearing the same clothes, but just as she was contemplating flooing to the girls' dorm and risking being caught, she noticed that the bed was made, and folded neatly on the pillow was a pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt (with MY FACE IS UP HERE emblazoned across the chest in bold white letters), a black cloak, a brassier and underwear. Giggling in delight, she pulled them on and dumped the towel on the carpet. It vanished.

"A room that cleans up for me; this rocks!" She laughed aloud.

Her wand lay neatly on a dressing table; she picked it up and ran her fingers along its smooth, polished wood. When she turned around, she realised that the bed was gone, clearing up a lot of space.

"Weird," she murmured.

"What's weird?"

Lilly jumped and spun around, seeing an amused looking Draco watching her. "How long have you been there?" she gasped.

"A few minutes. Did you not hear me enter?"

"Did you see me…" she waved her hands up and down frantically. "Dressing?"

Draco smiled. "No, I'm afraid I missed out on that privilege."

"Oh thank God," she whispered.

He studied her, seeming to look for something about her, some aspect that she could not tell. "Have I got dirt on my nose or something?" she said rudely.

"No." he did not elaborate further.

"Well. What d'you want to do?"

He seemed to come out of a trance. "What say we begin practicing getting to our wands fast?"

"Huh?"

"Don't say that, you sound like Goyle."

Lilly shuddered. "Fine then, Mr I Was Reared A Malfoy And Have Manners, what do you mean?"

He smirked at her. "I mean we place our wands on that side of the room-" he pointed. "And start on the opposite side of the room and race to get there as fast as we can."

Lilly frowned. "You sure we'll need that in a fight?"

"Probably not, seeing as we'll be taught to Apparate but it's always good to know that you can get there fast."

Lilly grinned. "Fine then. Let's go." They both put their wands down by the wall (which was completely bare, quite useful for their purpose) and started at the sprinting position at the opposite wall.

"One," Draco murmured. "Two… three!" Both began to race across the floor, and they were about halfway across when there was a noise like a gun being fired. Both immediately and inexplicably tripped over, and the room was plunged into darkness.

Lilly shrieked, she couldn't help it for the change was so sudden. She heard Draco's voice come out of nowhere, swearing softly and she felt a soft trickle of fear creep over her. It was not, you must understand, the ordinary darkness where everything was a pale dark blue. Neither was it the shadowy darkness, where silhouettes and such are visible. It was pitch black, and Draco's voice came to Lilly like a disembodied voice with no connection to a body.

"What- what's happening?"

"I don't know. Are you okay, Lilly? You didn't hurt yourself when we fell?"

"No, I'm fine. What the hell is going on?"

"I've no idea. Hang on; I've got to go open the curtains." Hands stretched in front of him, Draco stumbled across the room and feeling the heavy material under his hands, wrenched the curtains open.

Lilly blinked. "Have you opened them yet, Draco?"

"Yes," his voice seemed almost fearful; yet Draco Malfoy did not get afraid, Lilly reminded herself. "It's as dark outside as it is inside."

"Maybe we should try and find the door."

"Yeah."

They crashed around for a while, but neither of them could find the door. Lilly sat down heavily on the carpeted floor; and sat on something sharp, and pointy.

"Draco, I've found my wand! Lumos!" Light flickered quickly and Ginny just caught sight of herself sitting in the middle of the room, with Draco on the far side and no sign of either door before the light went out.

"It won't work," she said somewhat tearfully. "Lumos, lumos, lumos!" This time, the wand didn't even flicker. In her frustration, Lilly tossed her wand over her shoulder, not realizing yet what a stupid thing this was to do.

"Draco, where are you?"

"Judging by your voice, I'm several meters ahead of you."

"I- I'm afraid."

"Hey, it's okay. I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for this."

"Like what?" she hissed between clenched teeth. "Don't treat me like a child, Malfoy."

"Okay. I have no idea what the hell is going on, and it's probably not reasonable. But the facts remain- its pitch black, we can't find the door and we don't know what's happening. So our only option at the moment is to stay here."

"I don't want to."

"What we _want_ doesn't enter into the bargain, Lilly. We have no choice."

There was silence, as Lilly sat with quiet tears flowing down her face.

"Lilly? Are you okay?"

"Why do you care? Why do you care about anything?"

"Where are you?" he evaded her questions, tripping and stumbling his way towards her voice, arms out in front of him. Suddenly, his hand hit against her warm chest, rising up and down with her harsh breathing.

"Ow!" she cried out.

"Sorry! But I found you. Here, I'm here."

Lilly stretched her arms out and contacted with Draco Malfoy's robes. "There you are," she murmured. "I… I think I should hold onto you, just so we don't get separated again, what d'you reckon?"

In the darkness, Draco's mouth curved into a wicked grin. "I think that would be for the best, Lilly."

Her arms went around his neck, and he held firmly onto his waist. "There, that's better isn't it," she laughed. "But, I'm feeling a bit weak at the knees from the shock of this. D'you think I should rest my head here?" She lay her head down on his chest and his heart skipped a beat.

"I think that's a very good idea," he agreed.

Somehow, by unconscious mutual agreement, they both shifted to a sitting position, Lilly still holding onto Draco, and facing him, on her knees. "Draco?" she murmured quietly.

"Mmmn?"

"We're not friends, are we?"

He knew exactly what she meant, and he closed his eyes for a moment, though it made no difference in the dark. Yet somehow the dark was not frightening or evil anymore; it was full of good, or so it felt to him.

"No Lil, we're not."

"But…" her voice came slowly, huskily and her touch seemed to set every part of him aflame. "Are we enemies?"

"I- I don't think so."

"Acquaintances?"

"No."

"Work mates?"

"No."

"Are we…" there was a long pause, full of unspoken thoughts and Lilly did not need to finish her sentence. His lips dropped to hers and she felt like she was awaking finally after so many years. It was not like it had been with Harry, never had she felt such a powerful emotion wakening within her. Draco's lips seemed to be fused to hers, and Lilly wanted to never let go. Their kiss did not fumble around; his tongue darted straight into her mouth and she led a merry chase, exploring the darkness that was held within Draco's lips. They eventually, reluctantly broke apart, needing air.

"Why… did… you… break… up… with Potter?" his words were punctured by swift, sharp kisses.

"Because," she whispered, lips resting on his ear. "He wasn't you."

Draco smiled and kissed her softly, sensually and Lilly basked as she would have in the sun. They came up again panting. "Seems a bit unfair," he said laughingly. "Not everyone can be the most wonderful, handsome, intellectual boy in the world."

Lilly's lips fluttered over Draco's face; teasing him. "Draco Malfoy," she muttered. "You're so arrogant that if it wasn't for those delightful things you're doing to my nerves, I would slap you."

"Well, can't have that, can we?" he growled, pulling her tighter to him. Her hands reached and stumbled over the clasp of his cloak, eventually getting it off and throwing it aside, deeming it was getting in the way. He did the same with her cloak, but by an unspoken agreement neither took anymore clothing off, much as Lilly wanted to.

"I'm a whore," she whispered fiercely.

"No! Never say that. Why did you say that?"

"I've only been single for ten hours, and look at me now."

"I don't think you had much choice," he smiled in the darkness.

"Of course I did. What d'you mean?"

"The prophecy."

"What about it?"

"_But all Wizarding World should fall if it is not for two young adults, witch and wizard one with hair as red as flame, one with heart as cold as ice. Only once united will the Dark Lord be defeated…_" he quoted.

"Yeah, I know all that. So?"

"So maybe… united means more than just friends."

"Oh! I get it now… and the flame reference!"

"What?" now he was confused.

"Don't you see? Temper as hot as flame, heart cold as ice! Flame is the only thing that melts ice! And you always were a bastard, and cold. And I have a bad temper- a fiery temper!"

"Are you just looking for an excuse?" he murmured, lips on her neck, setting fire to her body.

"Come here." she pulled him close to her and kissed him hard on the mouth, one hand tossing his hair around. Suddenly she pulled away. Draco moaned.

"Lilly-"

"Draco, that hair gel is too much. My hand is stuck in your hair. I thought you'd given up using it."

Laughing, he pulled her hand out of his hair, knowing very well that she had been exaggerating. "My father likes it."

"Well I don't. And who kisses you better- me, or your father?"

Draco shuddered. "Lilly, I'm going to get nightmares for weeks."

"You won't be dreaming about anyone," she whispered huskily. "Except me."

He shivered and she smiled through the darkness, delighted at the effect she had on him. A sudden wave of tiredness passed over her, her eyes fluttered, and a yawn crept over her body. "Sorry," she said apologetically. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Why not?"

She was drifting off to sleep, and only managed a few drowsy murmurs before her tiredness overtook her. "Too busy… dreaming… of you."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 7-

She was held in a warm circlet of arms, though whom they belonged to she couldn't remember. She was lying on her side, snuggled into the side of someone and they were holding onto her for dear life. She didn't know who this person was, but she knew that she never wanted to let go of them.

Groaning, she opened her eyes and immediately closed them again, as a stream of bright light flooded her eyes. "Urgh," she muttered, and the person beside her shifted. Whoever it was stood up, and Lilly immediately let out a cry of protest, and eyes still tightly shut to protect her from the bright light, reached out and grabbed their leg.

The person tripped, laughing and Lilly searched for a memory of that laughter. She had heard it once before, but where?

"Let go Lilly," the amused voice came. "I have to close the curtains."

She suddenly recognized the voice. _Draco!_ Her mind shrieked. _Draco Malfoy?_ Her eyes flew open to be greeted with the semi-darkness of a room with curtains closed. Draco Malfoy stood at the door.

She realized she was lying on a bed. "Draco?" she squeaked, mind still catching up. "What- what-" with a sudden stream of memory, the events of late flew back into her head. He sat in the lotus position, watching her with an amused smile.

"Oh. Hello," she said somewhat awkwardly.

"Hello."

"Er, how are you this morning?" In reply, Draco stood, pulled her up and kissed her hard on the lips. It only took a split-second for her to react, arms sliding around his neck as he supported her gently at the waist. She smiled dreamily through the kiss, for it seemed so familiar and so right that when they came up panting for air, she almost growled in frustration before going back for another.

Half an hour later, Draco pushed Lilly away, smirking.

She looked at him, disappointed. "Why'd you do that?"

"The light has returned in case you haven't noticed. We have to go and find out what that whole thing was about."

"Why?" She tried to pull his head down to her level, desperately wanting to caress his lips again.

He pulled up reluctantly. "Because there may have been something dangerous that caused it."

"Do you care?" she growled, reaching up on her tip-toes.

"Lilly, we have to go."

"Fine then." She ran a hand through her hair and buttoned up her top which had somehow 'fallen' open. She pulled on her cloak and watched as Draco went through the same procedures. "Draco?"

"Mmmn?"

"Are we going to tell the others about this?"

His expression became serious. "I don't mind Lilly. People in Slytherin will react, but I'm not really good friends with anyone, except maybe Parkinson." A frown passed over Lilly's face; he almost laughed. "But I know that you Gryffindor's are a lot closer, so if you think this will ruin friendships we'll keep it secret."

"I- I think I'd rather just keep it between us for a while. Is that okay?"

"That's fine." He pulled her to him and kissed her warmly. "Let's go."

She slipped her hand in his almost automatically, but when he looked down sadly at her she realised what people would think if they saw them holding hands. She released it, and felt strangely empty with no part of her in contact with him.


	11. Chapter 11

"There you are," a relieved Ron cried as the pair walked into the Great Hall. He grabbed Lilly in a bear hug, holding her close to him. Draco began to walk away to his own friends, knowing it would look strange if he hung around the Golden Trio, for he had a feeling that people only saw the trio, and not Lilly who hung so uncertainly on the outskirts. His heart ached as her eyes met his over her brothers shoulder, who was still hugging her. She managed to smile faintly at him- they had only been apart two minutes and yet already she was hungering for him.

"Gerroff Ron," Lilly laughed. "I'm fine."

Harry stood looking awkward around her, and Lilly smiled warmly at him, a smile that he hesitantly returned. "Where have you been?" he asked.

"Dr- Malfoy and I were practicing spells in the Room of Requirement," she began. "Getting to our wands quickly and such." A sudden wave of fear came over her- she had left her wand in the Room of Requirement! Her eyes met Draco's again, and he gently raised a hand to his chest, over his heart. She stared uncomprehendingly at him for a moment- was he indicating his heart? Suddenly, she realised what he meant and grinning, she reached into the inside coat pocket of her coat and felt the hardness of her wand.

"What happened?" she asked.

Ron shook his head and Harry bit his lip. In the end it was Hermione who answered. "It was the Death Eaters. They cast a spell over the castle… Dumbledore said it was a warning, and that we shouldn't be afraid. The common room was a _mess_. We had all gone up there during break after lunch, and when the light disappeared it was chaos. People were screaming, our wands weren't working, and the paintings kept coming up with these wild theories. One who had been in the Ravenclaw Common Room said that an army of Nerfles had taken over." She exchanged a wry glance with Lilly. "Everyone was so worried about you- we thought you'd been kidnapped. Except Dumbledore, he kept saying over and over again that you were fine."

A thought suddenly occurred to Lilly. "What about Malfoy?"

Hermione was puzzled. "What about him?"

"Well, he was missing too. Didn't anyone care?"

"Oh, Pansy Parkinson was shrieking her head off as usual," Harry snorted contemptuously. "But the other Slytherin's looked like they were _celebrating_. They all love a change of power I guess… That boy, Blaise Zabini was strutting around, taking charge. I think he'd set himself out to be the next Prince of Slytherin. I think they were all _hoping_ he'd been killed or kidnapped. Wish he had been actually, myself."

Lilly felt a wave of sadness descend upon her. So no one cared about Draco, save her and Parkinson. Was he that mean? She glanced over at him; he was surrounded by a group of eager looking Slytherin's, probably relating the whole story to him. She noticed that Zabini was practically groveling at his feet.

Ron, Harry and Hermione were still talking excitedly to each other and did not notice her catch Draco's eye.

_Miss you,_ she mouthed. His message back was easily deductible.

_Want you. Meet me in the Room of Requirement tonight at seven._

She nodded, happiness engulfing her body. _I can see him tonight, I can see him tonight!_ Her heart sang.

"I said, were you scared?" Ron repeated looking impatient.

"Oh. No not really," she said, still returning to the present. "I mean yes, but I slept for a while and that stopped some of the fear, when you're asleep I mean you don't think much of darkness…." she trailed off, aware that she was still babbling.

She noticed Dumbledore, who was watching her with an amused glint in his eyes. She suddenly felt a tickling sensation in her mind. And there was suddenly a thought in her mind that was not hers.

**_I understand that you and Mr Malfoy have taken "united" to a new level. _**

_Professor?_ Her thought was incredulous. _But Snape-_

_**Professor Snape.**_

Yes, him, he said that I had a natural shield!

**Yes my dear, but you see I am rather more an accomplished Legilimens than Severus and Lord Voldermort.**

So you can read my thoughts?

**No, your shield is too strong for that. But I can converse with you in your mind. Ms Grawp, I advise you to be careful around Mr Malfoy. Are you sure about him?**

I can't believe I'm getting girl talk from the headmaster. The thought popped unwanted into her mind and she watched as Dumbledore laughed softly.

_Yes sir. I am._

**Well I'm glad. But I warn you to be careful for this reason- he too is a Legilimens.**

You're kidding!

**I assure you that I am deadly serious. He has not attempted to read your mind yet, for I can sense all who can but I must tell you this- he is stronger than me. Stronger than Severus, stronger than Tom, stronger than anyone I have ever met. That boy is destined for great- and terrible- things.**

Why hasn't he told me?

**It is possible that he does not wish to alarm you.**

Oh. Professor, if you cannot read my thoughts how do you know that Draco and I…?

**The moment light returned to the castle I went and checked all the rooms for the safety of my students, including the Room of Requirement where I found you asleep in his arms. I gather that this would not have happened if you were 'just friends'.**

With this thought came a swift mental image of Lilly lying asleep in Draco's arms, his lips resting on her cheek, her head resting on his chest.

_Oh._

**I shall leave your mind now Ms Grawp. But I also must inform you that you too have a sufficient Legilimens ability. Try and converse with Mr Malfoy like we are- I think that you are strong enough to get into his yet untrained mind. Do not attempt to read his thoughts as he might accidentally hurt you. Just speak with him.**

Me too? Are you sure?

**Positive. Oh, one last word Ms Grawp- if you wish this relationship to remain secret, I would advise that you don't mouth words of… **

He paused and Lilly thought she detected a mental chuckle.

**I think you know what I mean… Across the Great Hall.**

And he was gone. Lilly blinked, trying to take in all the information that the headmaster had given her. The trio had moved away were now having an earnest discussion with Ernie and Justin from Hufflepuff.

Closing her eyes, she imagined her mind as a silver rope, and cast it across to Draco Malfoy. To her surprise, it worked instantly and she seemed to flow into his mind easily. Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by his thoughts- thoughts mostly about her, images of her. She saw so many mental pictures…. Her standing on the cliff above the lake, hair fanning out in all directions, lips curved in a slight smile. Her kissing Harry on the stairs the other day, and she got a painful sense of hurt that came with the memory. There was an image of her lying asleep in his arms and one of…

**_Who are you? _**

The thought came so harshly and so painfully that Lilly winced, for this was the evil Draco Malfoy, the boy she had hated.

_It's _Lilly_._

**Lil? What the hell are you doing in my… my head?**

You didn't tell me you were a Legilimens.

**How did you know?**

Dumbledore told me.

**But you haven't spoken to him.**

I was talking to him like this. I don't mind Draco, I think it's great. I'm a Legilimens too, but nowhere near as strong as you.

There was a mental shrug.

_**So we can talk like this then?**_

Yes.

**That's great! Can we talk wherever we are?**

I imagine so.

**Did you get my message?**

Yes. I can't wait to see you.

**We've only been separated for twenty minutes!**

I miss you, still.

A smirk lifted his mouth and he nodded carelessly to something Pansy had said. Lilly felt an impulse to kiss the smirk.

_**What do you want to do with me?**_

You are too smug already without me answering that. What time is it?

**Five in the afternoon.**

Two hours till I see you.

**Indeed. Don't be late.**

I won't. Goodbye.

**Goodbye.**

She turned and began to make her way out of the Great Hall, when Harry spotted her.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm tired. I'm going to the common room."

"Okay."

Lilly left and quickly hurried up the stairs to the common room, sneaking into the girls dormitory. She rummaged through her trunk, despairing. "Do I have nothing nice to wear?" she said aloud despairingly. Then at the bottom of the trunk, she found a package wrapped in brown paper. Pulling it out, she found that a small note was attached.

_To my dear Lillian,_

I enclose something that I hope you will find useful. You know of course that I got that raise at the ministry, and bought everyone a present, save you. You may have wondered why this was- it is because I doubt that your mother would be happy with the (there was at this stage an ink blot as if the author had been wondering how to put the phrase)_ shape of this dress! Enjoy, my dear,_

Your loving father.

Lilly unwrapped the package and pulled out a shimmering red gown, which flickered and changed from shade to shade in the light. Hastily stepping into it, she found that it was a perfect fit. She saw that indeed her mother would not have approved of the garment, for it was quite a low cut and clung to her curves beautifully.

She spent an hour and a half playing with her hair and face, deciding upon no cosmetics, but pulling her hair up into a bun with two red tendrils escaping to frame her face. She pulled a black coat over her outfit, and quickly made her way downstairs, hoping to go unnoticed.

Harry was unfortunately in the common room. "Lilly." he swallowed. "You look… beautiful. Where are you going with your hair like that?"

"Er, a party, with Tara and the other sixth year girls," she stammered. "You wouldn't like it." She left with Harry staring wistfully after her.

At a fast run (which was easily achievable as Lillian Grawp refused to wear heels, instead settling on a pair of silk red flat slippers- obviously not the kind one would wear in winter) Lilly made her way to the Room of Requirement. Opening the door and realizing that she was fifteen minutes early, she was slightly surprised to see Draco already there. He was wearing a pair of black jeans and a white shirt, and Lilly suddenly felt a little silly- like she was overdressed.

"You're early," he said matter-of-factly as Lilly stood uncomfortably by the door.

"I- I didn't want to be late."

"Neither did I. Why are you wearing that coat? It's not _that_ cold."

"Erm… Ron might have seen my dress."

"How do you look?" Curiosity mingled in Draco's usually indifferent tone.

"Like my mother hasn't seen my outfit."

He indulged in a soft chuckle, a rarity for a Malfoy. The fire cracked loudly and Lilly shyly shrugged off her coat, turning to hang it up on a useful rack that she had only just noticed. As she turned around, Draco's hiss as he made a sharp intake of air made the risk of being caught by Ron worthwhile.

"Is there something wrong with my outfit?" she asked coyly, shyness slipping away.

"No." He became very interested in a piece of slightly darker wallpaper.

"My face?" she whispered, slowly walking towards him. He shook his head emphatically. "Am I wearing too much make-up?" Her lips brushed against his ear and reluctantly he turned his head to meet her eyes.

"You're not wearing make up."

"I'm not the kind who does. Besides, I wouldn't want your pretty lips to get smeared with cherry flavor." Her eyes held his, daring him to never look away, to stand there just watching her for ever and ever. She had never realised Draco Malfoy would be so hesitant to kiss her.

Sadly, she broke his gaze, and crossed the room to sit on a couch. "I don't understand you," she said quietly.

"People rarely do."

She continued as if she hadn't heard his comment. "You spend half the time mouthing erotic messages across the room to me, and then when we're actually finally alone, you ignore me."

"I wouldn't say I was ignoring you." She was silent, ignoring the inconsequent remark. He sighed. "There are complications, Lilly."

"_What?_ What can be complicated about this for you? Your father, yes, but is he in your pocket? Does he see everything you do? I'm willing to hide this from my best friends, from my family who I love with all my heart and you won't even _speak_ to me because of some guy that it doesn't seem like you're that fond of!"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Why don't you try me? You know, maybe I was wrong about you. I thought we were _friends_ Draco. Friends trust each other."

"Well friends don't exactly 'mouth erotic messages' either, Lilly!" he snapped.

"So we're more than friends then! And you won't even… even look at me. Do you like me, Draco?"

His mouth became suddenly dry. "God yes, Lilly."

"So please… tell me why it's complicated."

"You won't like it."

"But it's a two-way thing, Draco. You know, I know, okay?"

"Fine!" He exploded. She sat quietly and waited. "Can- can I sit with you?"

Lilly stared at him, once again yelling at him in her mind. He was annoying, this Draco Malfoy. Just as she'd placed him in a neat little box, he did something completely unexpected again. Now he looked like a small child, afraid of the dark. She nodded, and he went and pulled her close to him. She fitted neatly under his chin- he liked that.

"You have to understand that this might be a load of bollocks. I didn't believe in it for ages- at least I _said_ I didn't believe in it, but I think it might be true. Might. I- I want to command my own fate, Lilly, but this doesn't leave me much choice. Anyway, I'm confusing you.

"It's a Malfoy tradition to have a Seer attend a new Malfoy's birth. The woman who attended mine was one of the few left in the world who can willingly seek for a vision about someone whenever they want, without having to wait for the prediction to come upon them. Mine was an old Gypsy woman, she died when I was perhaps two.

"My father has drummed the prophecy into me for so many years… I know it inside out. It was… It was that," he paused and considered before reciting the prophecy in a low voice, as fear crept over Lilly.

"_He will be the Achilles. He will die young and be forgotten by all but one. None shall mourn but one. He will do great things and die for the one he loves. To die he must first love… never let him love._"

He waited, staring at her and then he saw the reaction that he wished would never come. Tears began to run down Lilly's face, as the horror of the prophecy grew on her. Suddenly, she reached up and pulled his mouth down to hers, pushing herself against him as much as she could, wanting to blend into his smell and his taste and his mind forever. He took a moment but then returned the kiss tasting her salty tears as she wept and kissed him, in a never ceasing circle. They did not break away; instead breathing as well as they could through their noses. Somehow, she found herself lying on top of him with him holding her tight to him and their kiss never ending.

Finally he pulled his lips from hers; panting hard while she cried and he soothed her by simply looking into her eyes. She growled, sick of the awful weariness she saw in his eyes and again pressed her lips against his, pushing and blending and trying desperately to forget what he had told her.

"Lilly," he murmured.

"I know." she reluctantly sat up. "You'd better go."

"What?" he was confused.

"We can't do this Draco. Can't… be together. Not with the prophecy."

Draco drew in a deep, shuddering breath. "Damn it Lilly, I didn't tell you so that we could break up! I told it because maybe… maybe it might be true and you deserved to know."

"You think I could know the truth and still go out with you?" she cried. "I- what if we fell in love? And you died? I don't want to be responsible for your death, Draco."

"But what if it's not true?"

"But we don't _know_ whether it's true or not. We just… we can't be, Draco."

"I suppose you'll go back to Potter now," he snapped bitterly. She flinched.

"No. Never. I- I can't explain it to you. Better that we just forget each other."

"Fat chance with this other prophecy."

"Yes, of course. Well, we have to fulfill that but… Gods Draco, I can't think this through now. I'm staying here tonight."

"I guess- I guess I'll see you tomorrow." All the fight had left him; he was tired, dispirited and he felt a terrible urge to cry. But Malfoy's did not cry, and _he_ would not cry, he vowed.

"Tomorrow?"

"We have to do dueling practice with the Dream Team. Had you forgotten?"  
"Yes, I- I suppose I did," she didn't know how she was having a normal conversation. Her mind, her brain, her body; they were all screaming for her too run to him and pretend it had been a joke. But her heart stopped her from it.

"Dumbledore arranged for us to meet here at seven o clock. I'll see you then."

"Yes," she managed faintly. He turned and began to walk away.

"Draco?" he stopped but did not turn around. Tears spilling down her cheeks, Lilly willed her voice to behave. "Do I- do I get a goodbye kiss?"

He turned and looked sadly at her, opening his arms. She dashed towards him, falling gratefully into his arms and crying and crying and crying. He kissed her gently and she could taste the sadness and the grief and the desperate longing. Then he let go of her, and left.

Lilly stood with tears falling watching the empty doorway. As she turned, some half hour later she saw a bed nestling gently in a corner. There was a pair of pajamas but Lilly didn't bother with them. She closed the door, kicked off her shoes, slipped out of the beautiful gown and curled up under the quilt in her underwear. She fell asleep, the only thing caressing her cheeks being her own despairing tears.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 8-

How Lillian Grawp stumbled through the next day she would never know. Her eyes ached with the effort of holding back tears and when professors asked her questions she took several minutes to come back down to earth. Every time she saw a flash of green, whether someone walking past or in the library or during a lesson her eyes immediately targeted them… yet it was never him.

After lunch, when she did pass him in the corridor it was worse. She met his eye and he almost smiled, but then Blaise (who was next to him) spotted her and made some remark and he had to plaster a sneer that seemed so real onto his face. It was only his eyes that let her know he didn't mean it, and she allowed herself to sink into his gaze, dwelling there for what seemed like hours but was only the few seconds it took to pass by him. Then as she left she felt as if her heart was being ripped from her body. It took all her will to stop herself from running into his arms, because she knew he would hold her there and it would all be alright again. But it would never be alright, she reminded herself. The prophecy stopped that.

At dinner, she forced her meal down her throat while nodding meaninglessly at whatever Tara said. Tara Elliot and Lilly had been best friends since fifth year, when Tara had moved here from Ireland. Lilly loved Tara, for she was like the sister that Lilly had never had, but she couldn't tell even her about the pain she felt now- for Tara had hated the pale boy since she had came and he had teased her because of her affiliation with the Grawp girl.

"Lilly! Earth to Lilly!"

Lilly looked up, startled and tried to smile at Tara, failing miserably. "Sorry, what did you say?"

Tara laughed, and spoke in her soft, lilting accent. "I said, girlie, that you've been gloomy all day. What's the matter with ye?"

"Nothing Tara," she said quietly, the words sticking to her throat like glue. "I'm just having a bit of a bad day."

"Aye, I bet it's all that hangin' out with Draco Malfoy you have to do."

Usually, Lilly would have smiled at Tara trying to adopt the British slang terms- like 'hanging out'- in her old world accent, but now the reference to Draco was too much.

"Maybe. I'm not hungry, Tara. I'm going to go practice for the dueling meeting I have to do later on."

Tara nodded wisely. "Aye, go get some rest. Your eyes are jest about hangin' out of your head."

Lilly stood and left, knowing that Tara was right. She had slept little and fitfully last night, and when she did drop off she had terrible nightmares of her kissing Draco, and him falling dead.

She made her way to the Gryffindor Common Room, walking up to her dormitory. She kicked off her school shoes and pulled off her robes, revealing a pair of black jeans and a white shirt. She hadn't made an effort to be clean this morning; her hair lay in knotty strands and looking into a mirror on the wall she saw that her cheeks still had tearstains from the night before. She pulled out a brush, and pulled it through her hair, determined that she would pull at least her outward appearance together tonight before dueling. Once deeming that her hair was brushed enough she pulled it up into a high ponytail, and splashed cold water across her face. Using a simple charm she got rid of the dark circles under her eyes- but although it took away all of her looks of tiredness she was still bone-achingly weary on the inside.

She laced up her sneakers then lay back on the bed; sure that Hermione would fetch her before dueling began. She was uneasy, for she knew that while Dumbledore would tutor them for an hour, they would also be expected to practice the new skills on their own for another hour. She had a feeling that Harry, Ron and Hermione, not to mention Draco, would take the idea of 'practice duels' to a new level. She knew that Draco still hated the 'Dream Team' and though she regretted that they weren't friends she knew that it was a part of each of the people that would not change.

"Who knows," she said bitterly aloud. "Hatred for a common enemy may bring them apart."

"I hope not," a dry voice said.

Lilly sat up, startled and saw Harry sitting on a bed across from her.

"How did you get up here?" she exclaimed.

"I flew." he nodded towards the broomstick at his feet.

"But how'd you know which window?" she demanded, angry that her privacy had been intruded upon.

"The night we…" he paused, and looked down. "…Finished I needed to think. So I flew out of my window and went to walk on the grounds for a little. I saw you fly out and memorized the window, should I have to come here."

"Well why are you here?"

"To take you to dueling," he replied calmly.

"Why didn't Hermione come?"

"She could have," he responded seriously. "But I came because I wanted to talk to you."

"Harry-" she began, sure she knew what was coming. Every time she broke up with a guy, a couple of days later they came to her and did the whole 'I've changed' talk. And every time it broke her heart more to say no.

"It's not about me, about us," he said quickly. "It's about you."

"What about me?" she said tiredly.

"You've been really down all day, Lilly."

"Just a bad day."

He shook his head. "It's more than that. What happened last night, Lil, that you went off glowing with excitement and emerged this morning after not coming back to the common room last night- for the second time this week- looking as if someone had died?"

"It was a bad party?" Lilly suggested timidly.

"You didn't go to a party. Tara and the rest of the sixth year girls came back about an hour after you'd left. I asked about the party and they said that there hadn't been one."

"You dared to ask? You thought I lied to you?" she yelled.

"Calm down Lilly. I was surprised to see them back so early- last time you guys had a party you didn't come back until half past two- rather drunk, despite alcohol being restricted here."

She didn't manage a smile.

"Where were you, Lilly?"

She looked into his eyes and had a terrible urge to pour everything out to him, but she knew he wouldn't understand. Harry Potter wanted so much to help her, she knew, but if he found out about Draco- she shivered. He would tell Ron and they would escort her between classes. Draco would have the wrath of all Gryffindor males upon him, and even with Crabbe and Goyle she doubted he would be able to beat all the sixth and seventh year boys of Gryffindor in a fight. No, she couldn't tell Harry- instead of helping her he would unknowingly make things worse. That was the trouble with boys, she mused. They thought that you seeing the guy that had made you feel so upset beaten up in a fight would make you feel better.

"Lilly?"

She realised that she had been silent, and hesitantly she spoke. "I'm sorry Harry, but I can't tell you. You would kill h- you wouldn't understand."

Harry had perceived that there was a boy involved, but he decided not to say anything more. "Poor Lilly. Okay, I understand. We should go to dueling now."

She nodded, thankful towards him. Harry's appearance had helped her think things out. She granted him a watery smile and began to walk down the stairs with him. Her eyes were dull now- she didn't notice where she was going. She could think of nothing but him; his face flickered through her mind. His voice, saying all the beautiful things he had said was in her head, calling her name... calling her name… calling her name…

**_Lilly Grawp LISTEN to me!_**

She jumped as Harry pushed open the portrait, and gave her a quizzical glance, but said nothing. Nervously, she began to think.

_Draco?_

**Finally! Why were you ignoring me?**

I thought it was just me.

**How could you sound like me?**

I had been… thinking about you. Remembering our time together.

**Oh.**

There was a pause.

_**You're late. Ron and the mud- fine, Granger- are already here.**_

We're coming.

**We're?**

Harry came and fetched me.

**What the hell did he do that for? Are you not capable of walking to the Room of Requirement by yourself?** The thought came harshly, with resentment and anger.

"Harry, I just forgot something. You go ahead, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed reluctantly.

**_Well?_**

Lilly turned- she did not trust herself to be able to walk with him and not cry. _Not really Draco, no._

**Why not?** The anger disappeared, he was all concern.

_Because I start crying if I think by myself too much._

**Oh God, Lilly. Are you still walking with Potter?**

No. I told him I forgot something… I've doubled back and I'm crouched behind a statue.

**I'm coming to get you.**

No. I'll be along soon.

**It was not a question, Lilly, it was a statement. Which statue?**

Beatrice the Babbler.

**Okay, wait there.**

Lilly crouched and let the tears fall freely, only one thought in her mind: _he's coming to get me; he's coming to get me_. In less than five minutes, Draco was standing there, blond hair falling into his eyes and helping her up. She clung to him, crying into his shoulder, inhaling his intoxicating scent.

"Lilly," he began, her tears making his robes damp. "Lilly, we have to go and join your friends. Dumbledore will be there in half an hour and we should be early. You have to let go of me."

She shook her head, resolving to never let go.

"You have to let go," he repeated. She did not move, just wept into his robes, arms hanging on around his neck. "Your brother is not going to like this," he warned. She made no reply, and so Draco sighed and lifted her into his arms. Her arms still hung around his neck, with his arm holding her legs and also around the back of her neck, as one would cradle a baby. "Come on then," he murmured, and effortlessly carrying her he made his way to the Room of Requirement.

Draco pushed open the door and stepped inside, where a few moments of flabbergasted silence greeted him. Then a red faced Ron began to yell. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH HER MALFOY?"

"I found her crouched behind a statue, crying, Weasel King," he said smoothly. "She couldn't walk by herself. Seeing as you _brave_ Gryffindor's were not there to help her, I found that I had no other choice than to carry Lilly."

Lilly had kept her face turned towards Draco during this, but now she moved and faced her enraged brother. "It's true Ron," she whispered. "He did."

Harry looked at her bewildered. "You said you had forgotten something," he said numbly.

"I- I had. My wand polish," she lied on the spot. "But I got um, kind of upset on the way there again so I just stopped for a little rest to bring myself together and I- I couldn't find the will to go back."

Draco nodded. "I found her on my way to the bathroom."

Ron looked hard at each of them, then nodded slowly. "Okay. But what has got you so upset Lilly?"

Harry opened his mouth but Draco interrupted him. "I really don't think she needs to tell you that, Weasley."

Harry stared bewildered at him. "You- you know why she's upset?"

_NO!_ Lilly screamed in Draco's mind. _You don't, you don't, you don't!_

"Yes, I do," Draco replied.

"So." Harry said coldly. "So. You would tell our worst enemy, Lillian, and not me?"

**_You're name is Lillian?_** The thought wandered, amused, into her head.

"Our worst enemy is Voldemort," she said quietly.

_This is your fault!_ She yelled mentally.

_**I thought your name was Lilly.**_

What my name is is of no concern to you! Why the hell did you have to tell him you knew!

**Oooh, did I mess up your relationship with dear Potty?**

There is no relationship between him and me.

"He is the son of Voldemort's right hand man!" Harry yelled. Unnoticed, Draco gently placed Lilly on a soft chair and let his right hand stray towards his wand. Harry continued yelling. "He's probably a Death Eater already! HE'S A TRAITOR TO OUR KIND!"

"That's enough, Potter," a cool voice said and Harry found himself looking at the tip of a wand balanced at his neck. "I think you might need a little lesson after that outburst. _Laedo V-_"

"Draco, please!" Lilly's cry rang out, and Draco's heart softened. He lowered his wand.

"Watch it, Potter," he whispered malevolently. "Next time, Lilly will not be around to change my mind and then…" He smiled cruelly and twirled his wand round on his fingers.

Ron overheard. "Why you little-" he pulled out his wand and…

"Mr Weasley, I think it might be for the best if you put away that wand," a kind voice remarked. Ron spun around and met the twinkling eyes of Albus Dumbledore.

"Yes sir," he mumbled.

"I am a little saddened," the headmaster continued. "I have only been in this room five minutes and already the animosity here is quite startling. I understand that you are not the best of friends but I find it disappointing that although Lilly Grawp could swallow her pride and get on with someone she didn't necessarily want to, you Harry, who have faced many more awful situations- and you Mr Weasley, Ms Granger, who faced them with him- could not manage to get along for the sake of wizarding kind."

Harry felt guilt sink deep into his bones. "When you put it that way sir…" he mumbled lamely.

"It does not seem so bad?" Dumbledore suggested quietly. Harry shook his head, and Hermione nodded emphatically. Ron made no gesture but he slipped his wand back into his pocket. "Now, I am aware that I should not be angry, as these are rather exceptional circumstances, but I must warn you against cursing each other. You are here to learn to work together. Mr Malfoy, I am not as disappointed with you."

Harry and Ron gaped at each other and Draco smirked slightly.

"This is because I have been greatly impressed by the cool way you took this whole prophecy, and the way you have been working with Ms Grawp since then." Unnoticeably, Draco turned very slightly and raised one eyebrow, exchanging a wry glance with Lilly, who almost (despite her black mood) giggled. Ron looked as if any moment he would commit murder.

"Mr Malfoy, Ms Grawp, I take it you have been practicing your dueling skills?" Dumbledore asked abruptly.

"Ah…" Lilly began. _"Not exactly sir. You see, we've been too busy snogging in corners to get much work done."_ A heavy cloud of sadness descended upon her. There would be no more snogging between her and Draco. Ever…

"Naturally," Draco finished smoothly. Lilly immediately butted into his mind.

_That's a lie!_

**Oh, like you haven't been telling any.**

I haven't! Well… not many anyway.

**Yes, I'm sure. Picture of innocence aren't you?**

She haughtily ignored him, but she thought she detected a smirk playing in his mind. She- with a rather superior expression- turned her attention back to the headmaster.

"Well, if you would like to show us your attack and defense modes than. Please just use 'Expelliarmus'. Mr Malfoy, you are the attacker and Ms Grawp you will be the defender. Dueling positions please!"

Draco and Lilly took the opposite ends at a dueling map that Lilly had only just noticed on the floor. Walking until they were only inches apart, they bowed (both trying to outdo the other in flamboyancy and unwittingly helping Harry catch on that they might be a little more than just civil enemies) and Lilly's breath caught. The last time she had been this close to Draco he had kissed her. They turned and strode down the end of the mat.

"Wands at the ready."

They pulled out their wands and held them aloft in the fighting stance.

"One… two…three!"

"Expelliarmus!" yelled Draco, with (thought Lilly) a hint of reluctance in his voice.

"Protego!" With a hissing noise, the red shield folded out of nowhere and stretched. The Expelliarmus spell bounced swiftly off it and Draco had to duck to avoid being hit. Lilly was about to let the spell fade when…

**_Lilly. Hold the spell for as long as you can. I'm going to throw more spells at you._**

Lilly nodded, looking a little pale and Draco hurled another spell at her. Her shield shook a little but stayed in place.

"Look at that," she heard Hermione exclaim. "She can hold it longer than the usual time. How did she do that?"

As Draco fired the spell at her another seven times, Lilly, exhausted finally let her shield down, at the same time telling Draco in his mind that she was putting it down. Draco had never waited to see the spell hit before casting the next one- and that was what made Harry curious.

"Wait a moment," he said slowly. "How'd you know when to stop casting the spells? You never stopped before… and she never told you."

"Yeah," said Ron, catching on. "Squirm your way outta that one, Malfoy."

Draco looked uncomfortable. "I'm not sure I'm willing to concede with your uncouth demand, Weasley. She and I…"

"Oh for goodness sake Malfoy, it can hardly hurt telling them can it?" Lilly snapped suddenly. Draco looked at her sharply.

**_Yes it bloody well can, Lilly Grawp, and if you tell them I will personally wring that pretty little neck!_**

She continued as if she hadn't heard his angry thought. "Did you see me raise my hand to my head?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "I thought you were wiping away sweat."

"Oh a little of that," Lilly smiled. "But it is also our… our secret signal showing that I've had enough. It's better than me calling out, because it gives him more time to stop hurling spells at me and it looks more effective… It's as if we are _reading each others thoughts or something_." 

The trio did not notice her slight emphasis on her last sentence, but both Draco Malfoy and Albus Dumbledore did and both had trouble concealing a slight snigger.

"Well done. That was a very good performance, the both of you. Now, let's work on group fighting and some dueling methods…" Dumbledore instructed the trio on how to conduct the Protego charm for much longer as Lilly and Draco had already done, giving the pair some time to work on their dodging skills. Harry's shield spell kept slipping; mostly because he kept looking over and Lilly and Draco and noting enviously- and suspiciously- how much laughing they were doing, and how Lilly kept tripping over Draco and landing with her legs sprawled over him; and not seeming to care. She only blushed once, he noticed, and that was when they were on opposite sides of the room; but Draco was smirking as if he'd had some input into the blush.

Lilly did not notice Harry's gaze, and Draco did not care. All of Lilly's sadness had slipped away, and she had forgotten that after the session they would part again. As long as she was with him, that was all that mattered.

After half an hour of such mucking around, Dumbledore called them over to him, where Ron, Harry and Hermione were standing with rather smug expressions on their face.  
"I am going to teach you the Patronus Charm. As Mr Potter, Ms Granger and Mr Weasley all know, the incantation is Expecto Patronum. Now, I am aware that you, Ms Grawp, were going to learn the spell but did not attend that particular DA meeting?" he smiled at her affirmative nod. "And Mr Malfoy you obviously will not have learnt it. Mr Potter can execute a faultless one, so if you would Harry?"

Harry nodded and, smirking at Malfoy, yelled "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" The silver stag leapt out of the tip of his wand and galloped around the room before fading away. Ron looked smugger and even Hermione was having trouble concealing sniggers- all three were obviously delighted that Draco didn't know how to do something.

"Now, Ms Granger and Mr Weasley, together if you please."

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Ron and Hermione yelled in unison. Out of Hermione's wand tripped a fat, furry otter and Ron managed to produce a swirl of silver mist that for a few seconds consolidated into an impressive stallion, which shook his head and cantered before fading back into mist again.

"Mr Malfoy, this is the method. You must think of the happiest-"

"If you don't mind Professor," interrupted Draco. "Expecto Patronum!" A silver mist poured out of his wand and in seconds had formed into a Thestral. Harry took a step back, as the horse-like beast turned its head towards him and looked straight at him with shining eyes. The creature shook its head slightly, then stepped lightly into the air and soared to the rooftops, where it disappeared out of sight.

Lilly and the trio had watched this in complete silence and amazement. Professor Dumbledore shook his head slightly, but when he spoke there was some quality that Lilly couldn't name in his voice- whether it was weariness, or bitterness, or harshness, or coldness or anger. Perhaps it was an obscure mix of all of them. In any case, she didn't like it.

"Mr Malfoy, who taught you the Patronus Charm?"

"My father sir. This summer."

"I see. Well, that is a very good Patronus. Now let's work on yours, Ms Grawp."

He spent the rest of the lesson teaching Lilly hers, and by the end of the lesson, she was beaming as she had managed to produce a white wolf. When she first had managed to get the mist to form into a shape the wolf had looked straight at her and walked to her. She had put out a shaking hand and stroked it softly and she felt the hard fur under her hand. Harry let out a low whistle, and the wolf turned and snarled at him. It had taken three leaping bounds towards him and had been about to attack him when it had faded. Harry had looked quite taken aback, though Draco and Dumbledore had laughed. Lilly could not help the gleam of revenge in her eyes; Harry had been annoying her with his jealous behavior to Draco.

Finally, the lesson ended. Dumbledore smiled and said that it would "not be necessary for you to practice as a group, just work on your Patronus Charms and Ms Grawp and Mr Malfoy please continue your usual practice". He left while they gathered their stuff, though Draco leaned back on a chair and seemed to show all the intentions of staying there. Harry nodded curtly to Draco and Lilly managed to give a quick smile, trying to stay the tears that were threatening to come. Ron grabbed her arm and was about to lead her rather roughly out when…

"Lillian, could I have a word with you please? It's about our training schedule."

_Shit._ Lilly thought desperately. _Shit, shit, shit!_


End file.
